


Lie to Me

by obisgirl



Category: Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-18
Updated: 2013-07-18
Packaged: 2017-12-20 14:56:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 22,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/888586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obisgirl/pseuds/obisgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sabé attends Padmé's funeral and meets up with Obi-Wan. What if Sabé saw Obi-Wan at Padmé's funeral and decided to follow him to Tatooine?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Star Wars used to belong to George Lucas until he destroyed his own movies and then let Disney buy the rights.

Sabé watched as the funeral procession continued. She saw the current queen and two of her handmaidens, as well as several members of milady's family. Padmé's mother had notified Sabé about Padmé's passing, and Sabé, in turn, offered her condolences and promised to tell her other sisters. The original five gathered together before the funeral, meeting up at Sabé's house. They didn't talk very much, but each knew the impact of Padmé's death.

Sabé continued to watch as Padmé's body reached it's resting place, the same place where Master Jedi Qui-Gon's burial was years before. As she watched the holy man say a prayer for Padmé, Sabé's back stiffened and she turned and looked beyond the crowd of mourners. In the distance, she could see his figure, watching from the shadows. Sabé sighed and looked back at milady, and then silently left the crowd.

~~

Obi-Wan looked back briefly and then lowered his hood, walking back towards his ship. He was scheduled to meet with Senator Organa before he was to leave to take Leia to her new home. Yoda had advised him to keep himself hidden and not attend Padmé's funeral, but he felt that he needed to. He turned and looked back once more, and then froze as he noticed a single shadow follow him. Obi-Wan waited for a moment, silently touching his lightsaber but eased up once the figure came closer to him and he could see her features.

"Sabé."

"Ben," she greeted, "I didn't know if you were going to be here...You're...the Jedi..."

He frowned, beckoning her into the alley where his ship was. "I know...Master Yoda cautioned me to stay away, but I couldn't. I needed to say goodbye to her."

Sabé smiled sourly. "I know. Me too...so Master Yoda survived the attack on the Temple? Thank the gods. When I heard about what happened, I cried for hours. It was murder; it shouldn't have happened and the fact that the senators are behind Palpatine's great Empire now makes me sick!"

"Sabé, I hope you don't believe that the Jedi are responsible for Senator Amidala's death?"

"Even when Palpatine declared her dead and that they were responsible for it, I didn't believe it." Sabé sighed and looked at his ship. "Where are you going?"

Obi-Wan looked back at his ship. "Exile. There's nothing I can do now; Master Yoda has done the same."

Sabé sighed. "I don't know how I can go on with all that's happening to this galaxy, Obi-Wan. Let me come with you,"

"No, I cannot allow that Sabé. I have to go alone."

"To do what...punish yourself!" she cried as he started to climb up the wing into the cockpit. "I can't live in a galaxy that didn't stop democracy from dying. I want to go with you."

Obi-Wan turned and looked at her, "Sabé, you need to stay here. You're still needed."

She laughed. "You were always a bad liar, Ben."

Ben sighed and climbed down from the ship, standing up to Sabé. "I cannot allow you to come with me, Sabé. You have to stay here. I know it's going to be hard; it's not going to be any easier for me to leave, but it's something that I have to do. Stay here, princess."

Sabé lowered her head and started to cry. "I don't have a home, Ben. I'm lost..." Obi-Wan sighed and gently hugged her as she wept. "She was my sister. I loved her, and now I don't know what my path is anymore. What can I do in a galaxy that is a slave to evil? Let me come with you."

Obi-Wan hesitated a moment. He knew she was reaching out to him because of her grief, but he had a job to do. If Sabé came with him, she would know about Luke, and he couldn't risk that. The plan was for everyone to believe that Padmé's babies died with her. "I can't let you come with me, Sabé. I'm sorry," he said, and turned once again, climbing into the craft.

Sabé sighed, and watched as it rose into the air and quietly hovered out of the alley. "No, you're not leaving me here, Ben," Sabé whispered and left the alley.

~~

_Sabé nervously tapped her fingers on the table as she waited for the girls to arrive. For hours she sat alone, thinking about her meeting with Ruweé and Jobal Naberrie. She couldn't believe what they told her: Padmé was dead and so were her babies. After Padmé's term as queen ended, she and the other handmaidens went their separate ways, but they tried to keep in touch with each other as much as possible. To her knowledge, Padmé was not involved in a relationship with anyone; if she were, it would have been known by the public. Sabé wanted to question them further about the pregnancy and the father of the children, but they assured her that they didn't know anything. She believed them, but there was still something missing from the puzzle._

_"Sabé?"_

_Sabé stood up and greeted Rabé and Eirtaé, and then they went to the table and sat down again. "We saw Jobal and Ruweé," Rabé said. "I still can't believe she's gone..."_

_"We weren't allowed to see her body, but Ruweé mentioned something about her being with child," Eirtaé said and then frowned once she saw Sabé's saddened expression. "Oh, it was true then? Did Ruweé or Jobal say anything to you when you saw them?"_

_"No, they admitted that they didn't know that their daughter was pregnant," Sabé answered. "The funeral is tonight..."_

_Eirtaé moaned and leaned back in her chair. "What are we supposed to do until then?"_

_"I want answers," Sabé said and Eirtaé and Rabé turned and stared at her. "None of us knew that she was pregnant; her parents don't even know the identity of the father -- someone must know something about what happened."_

_"Sabé, it won't change anything, you know that," Rabé added._

_"I know, but we deserve to know what happened to her and her babies," she cried. "Ruweé and Jobal, Sola and her children deserve to know!"_

Sabé tightened her grip on the controls as she looked over her coordinates; she was able to get a lock onto Obi-Wan's coordinates and entered them into her own system. Obi-Wan didn't want her to follow him to wherever he was going, but Sabé knew that he was hiding something from her. She checked the coordinates again. They hadn't changed, which meant that he still didn't know that she was following him.

~~

_"Don't give up, Padmé."_

_Padmé winced in pain as the medical droid on the other end of the table held a baby in its arms, and then gently passed it Obi-Wan. "It's a boy."_

_"Luke," Padmé whispered, smiling faintly as she struggled to touch his tiny forehead._

_Obi-Wan smiled, looking down at the infant in his arms and then turned back to the droid as it offered him another infant baby._

~~

Obi-Wan smiled, greeting the blond woman. She smiled back gently, taking Luke into her arms. Obi-Wan continued to watch as she walked away, joining her husband as he watched the sun rise over Tatooine. He whispered goodbye to young Luke, and then walked back to his Eopie.

~~

Sabé looked around curiously as she watched Obi-Wan leave the Lars' homestead. She could see Owen and Beru watching the sunrise and then Beru left his side, going inside the hut. She noted that Beru was carrying something in her arms, and that the bundle resembled the form of an infant.

"Excuse me."

Sabé turned and nearly screamed as the shadow towered over her, and then pulled her aside away from the homestead. "What the blazes are you doing here? Why did you follow me when I warned you to stay on Naboo?" Obi-Wan scolded her.

Sabé pulled her arm away from him, and didn't reply.

"Never mind. Where's your ship?" he asked. "You're going back to Naboo,"

"I'm not going back to Naboo," she protested. "I'm staying here on Tatooine with you,"

Obi-Wan growled, and grabbed her arm once again, pulling her towards his Eopie and then helped her onto the animal. "This doesn't mean that you're staying. We need to get away from here, and then I'm taking you back to your ship, milady."

Sabé huffed and looked away from him.

~~~

Obi-Wan moaned. Sabé hadn't said anything to him since he dragged her with him to find her ship. Normally, he would be fine with the silence, but in it he could feel her anger towards him for not wanting her with him. She wasn't supposed to follow him; he wasn't meant to be seen by anyone when he attended Padmé's funeral, and she wasn't supposed to see baby Luke being delivered to his new family. Obi-Wan tugged at the reins, and the Eopie stopped walking. Sabé looked up at him but turned away once he turned and tried to look at her.

"Sabé," he started, "I'm sorry I was harsh with you back there, but you should have listened to me and stayed on Naboo."

Sabé didn't reply. "You have understand that my idea of exile meant living alone. I never planned on having any company..." He turned around and faced her. Sabé averted her eyes from him. "You can continue to be childish about this, m'lady, but you know I'm right. You shouldn't have followed me. But we can't go back. You're not going to tell me where your ship is and I don't want to continue going around in circles trying to locate it...I guess what I'm saying is, you can stay."

Sabé smiled for the first time and threw her arms around Obi-Wan's neck, and kissed his cheek. "You're not going to regret this, I promise."

Obi-Wan grunted, "I hope not."

tbc


	2. Settling In

Sabé stared blankly at the tiny hut, realizing for the first time that maybe her decision to follow Obi-Wan and then accept his invitation to stay with him on Tatooine was a bad idea. Obi-Wan gathered the last of his bags from the Eopie and then met Sabé. He shrugged, shifting his weight as he stared at the hut with her.

"It looks small on the outside, but its much bigger inside," he said, but Sabé only blinked, looking incredulously at him.

Obi-Wan cleared his throat and then went inside the hut; Sabé sighed and followed him.

~~

Obi-Wan dropped off his bags in the living room, and then proceeded down the hall to Sabé's room. He needed to talk her about their living arrangements. Most of all, she needed to know that they weren't going to be totally alone with each other. The trouble was, he didn't know exactly how he going to tell her that spirit of old Master would occasionally pop in.

He stopped at her door and gently knocked on it. She didn't answer at first, so Obi-Wan shrugged and opened the door as a shocked partially naked Sabé screamed at him. Obi-Wan averted his eyes , quickly shutting the door tight.

"Um, I just wanted to talk to you about the living conditions. If you're going to be staying here with me, I think we need to set some ground rules," Obi-Wan started. "You cannot leave the hut unaccompanied and second, you cannot have contact with anyone besides me..."

"When you told me that you were going into exile, you really meant it..." Sabé said back. "Anything else?"

"I can't think of anything right now, but I'm sure we'll think of more rules as we go along," he called back as Sabé exited the room fully clothed, confronting him. They stared at each other for a moment, and then Obi-Wan continued, "Oh, there is one more matter that needs to be discussed. You and I, we're not the only ones that are going to be living here..."

Sabé's eyes widened, confused about what he was talking about.

"I mean, well, my Master, my former Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, might appear from time to time to instruct me," he said.

Even though he was looking away from her, he could sense her confusion and he knew that she had become more confused about the situation. "So, there's going to be three of us, so to speak," he said quickly and then started down the hall, leaving a dumbfounded Sabé alone.

~~

Qui-Gon couldn't help but laugh as he listened to his former Padawan tell him about talking to Sabé about his presence. Sabé hadn't left her room since Obi-Wan talked to her – probably because she was scared to run into a ghost. Or maybe she thought the heat was already affecting Obi-Wan's physical condition. Either way, both were plausible.

"This isn't the way I imagined spending my exile," Obi-Wan said, sitting at the table in the kitchen as his Master sat on the stool opposite him. "Women are so stubborn! I told her to stay on Naboo, but she decided to follow me instead, and now I have a roommate I wasn't even prepared for."

Qui-Gon laughed again. _'I'm sure that in time, you two will grow to tolerate each other.'_

"She isn't bad company," he admitted with a smile, and then Qui-Gon directed his attention to the hallway as Sabé entered the kitchen. She gasped slightly, seeing the former Jedi Master, and then regained her composure and walked over to the counter. She took the third stool and sat down. "Find everything to your liking, m'lady?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Yes," she said and briefly made eye contact with Qui-Gon. "You're really here, aren't you?"

_'I am. It's a pleasure to see you again, m'lady,'_

Sabé smiled and then looked at Obi-Wan. "Um, I was thinking of going into town to get supplies…I know what you said to me before, but I don't think anyone will recognize me. I was only here that one time, and even then I was in disguise."

"Alright, but be quick; don't linger around," he advised, and then searched around his robes for money. "Republic credits don't work out there, but if they don't –" he looked at Qui-Gon. "Do you think you could go with her?"

"I hardly think Qui-Gon can help, unless you want him to scare the locals…"

Qui-Gon laughed then quieted down as Obi-Wan continued. "No, I didn't mean that. He can watch you as you walk around."

Sabé glanced at the ghost and the hopped off the stool. "I need to change first, and then we can go," she said and went back to her room.

Tbc


	3. Chapter 3

Sabé held her purse close to her as she walked through the stalls. Qui-Gon walked behind her, but thankfully he was able to make himself invisible as to not scare the locals. He still talked to her once in awhile, to warn her about certain vendors and such.

In only five hours, Sabé was able to buy the necessary items that she and Obi-Wan would need, but now she realized that before leaving Naboo, she had forgotten her wardrobe. Sabé stopped at a stall, admiring the fine clothes, and then glanced briefly at the price and nearly fainted. She couldn't afford it, but she needed clothes, and she doubted Obi-Wan would allow her to wear his.

"Aw, m'lady! Find everything to your liking?" the merchant asked, turning his attention to her.

Sabé smiled politely. "Excuse me, but I would like to buy these. Is it possible to negotiate about the price?"

The man frowned. "I'm sorry, my dear, but I can't."

"Oh well, thank you," Sabé muttered and started to walk away from the stall.

'Go back to the stall, Sabé. If you want the clothes, I can help you,'Qui-Gon advised.'Set your price and I'll do the rest.'

Sabé smiled to herself and then turned around, walking back to the stall. She once again let her fingers feel the fabric of the clothes and then looked at the merchant. "Actually, I changed my mind. I want to buy these...I'll give you forty credits."

The man started to laugh. "I'm sorry again, my dear, but republic credits don't work here."

Sabé continued to admire the fine clothes as Qui-Gon stepped behind the merchant, whispering into his ear.'You want to give her the clothes for forty credits and a ten- percent discount.'

"Hmm, I can give it to you for forty credits, and I'll even offer a ten percent discount!"

"Forty credits and a ten percent discount," Sabé replied. "I like it. Thank you." She brought up her purse, handing him the allotted amount. The merchant took the clothes and packaged them for her, and then handed them back to Sabé. "Good day, my dear."

Sabé smiled and thanked the man, and Qui-Gon stepped away from him and the stall and followed behind Sabé. A mile out of Mos Espa, Sabé began to talk to her ghostly companion. "Thank you so much for helping me get these clothes, Qui-Gon! I didn't know you could still use your powers when you're dead but that was great!"

 _'You have your clothes, m'lady, and now you don't have to worry about borrowing from Obi-Wan,'_ he teased.

Sabé laughed and looked back at him. "That brings up an interesting point. I'm curious about something…I'm not that familiar with your Jedi ways, but how is it that you're here?" Qui-Gon explained to her about the secret of the Ancient Order of the Whills. Sabé listened intently. "So the reason you're here now is to teach Obi-Wan to die?"

 _'I wouldn't put it that way, but essentially, yes. To become one with the Force is to find peace,'_ he said, noting the sadness in Sabé's features. _'You care for him.'_

Sabé blushed and consciously brushed a hair away from her face. "Of course I care about him, he's my friend."

 _'No, that's not what I meant,'_ he interrupted. _'You love him.'_

"The only time I ever talked to Obi-Wan was after the victory parade. Between then and the time we spent together on the Queen's ship, we barely had the chance to flirt with each other. Besides which, I had a duty and so did he," Sabé defended. "Obi-Wan said not to linger, and we shouldn't. He's expecting us," she said quickly and continued walking.

Qui-Gon smiled.

tbc


	4. Chapter 4

Sabé peeked into Obi-Wan's as he sat on his bed, trying to meditate. She knew meditating was routine for Jedi but what she supposed to do? Sabé thought about trying to meditate herself and then decided not to. Now, the former handmaiden stood silently, watching the Jedi meditate and began to wander if he knew she was watching him. _'Of course, he knows, '_ she retorted to herself.

"Care to join me, Sabé?" he asked suddenly, causing her to jump. Sabé wanted to run but for some reason, her legs weren't moving and then he turned around and looked at her. "I could use the company,"

Sabé walked over to the bed and sat beside him. She thought about leaving him alone but she didn't want to seem rude.

"Here," Obi-Wan said and gestured that she sit cross-legged in the bed like he was, and then Obi-Wan pressed his fingers on her shoulders. "You need to relax first," he instructed and then began to kneed her shoulders.

Sabé didn't say anything. The touch of his fingers were so soft on her skin, he was probably unaware of his affect on her but Sabé felt like she was about to explode. Obi-Wan smirked and then began to move away. Sabé frowned and turned to look at him, "Don't stop," she pleaded.

Obi-Wan stared back at her as she continued to stare at him, and then Sabé turned her body to face him and leaned forward, her face away breaths away from his and then...but Obi-Wan pulled away again.

What was this? The third time he resisted me? Sabé questioned. She knew he wanted to kiss her after dinner, and then when she came into his room after his nightmare and now, he'd rejected her again. Sabé turned away from him as she started to cry, and then decided it was best to leave him entirely so she moved off the bed and ran out of the room.

"Sabé? Sabé?" Obi-Wan called after her, and then rushed out of the room himself. He finally caught up with her as she ran through the kitchen. "Sabé, wait!"

She turned around, glaring at him, "What do you want, Obi-Wan?"

"I'm sorry..."

"Tell me that you didn't want to kiss me last night," she demanded. Obi-Wan was speechless, causing Sabé to become even more irritated, "I know something has changed between us, I feel it every time you touch me but I don't know what you feel. What's stopping you from acting on your feelings? It's as if you're ashamed to be feeling something for me."

"Sabé," he said, stepping closer to her. He knew how her felt about her but something was holding him back.

"You're impossible, Obi-Wan!" she screamed and then moved away from him again, running back to her own room.

~~

"Sabé, please let me explain," Obi-Wan pleaded with her as he stood outside her bedroom door. Sabé locked herself inside, lying on her bed, trying to ignore him. She couldn't understand why he was doing this to her, when she could plainly tell that he cared about her deeply. "Sabé, I --- it's about Anakin and Padmé. Anakin, he loved Padmé very much and well, she was the reason why he turned to the Darkside. He did it for her, and then she died because of him...I guess what I'm saying is that I'm afraid if we get to close, my feelings for you will overwhelm me and I'll turn to the Darkside," he said.

Obi-Wan waited a moment for her to answer and then Sabé opened the door, staring blankly at him, "What did you say?"

~~

"...That's the truth," he concluded as Sabé sat with him at the kitchen table, "I'm sorry I lied to you but it was necessary at the time to make everyone believe...."

Sabé laughed sarcastically, "I remember how much Anakin adored Padmé when he was a little boy; I knew that Padmé was involved with someone because Ruwee admitted that she was pregnant but it never occurred to me that they were secretly married. And you, how could you not know they were husband and wife?"

Obi-Wan shrugged, "I became a Master on the Jedi Council, and I rarely had time to baby-sit Anakin anymore since he was a Knight,"

"For a Jedi, that's a very poor excuse, Obi-Wan," she retorted and stood up abruptly, "You lied to Padmé's parents and most of all, you lied to me,"

"Sabé," Obi-Wan started, "It was necessary at the time. Palpatine used Anakin's fear of loosing Padmé to turn him away from the light. As long as he didn't know that Padmé was carrying his children, he wouldn't go after them,"

"Where are they now?"

Obi-Wan sighed, "One of them is here on Tatooine, and the other is on Alderaan,"

"The bundle that you delivered to that woman, it was Padmé's child wasn't it?"

"Yes, her son," he admitted, "Sabé, I understand why you're angry with me but you have to understand that the galaxy in which we live now is not the same, and Padmé's children, Anakin's off spring are our last hope."

Sabé turned and looked at him, "I understand what you're saying but...you didn't have to lie me," she cried and ran back to her room, slamming the door.

~~

Obi-Wan moaned, hitting his head on the kitchen table as his former Master appeared, sitting where Sabé had been. "I screwed up, didn't I?" he asked.

Qui-Gon crossed his arms and shrugged, _'Do you mean in telling Sabé about Luke and Leia's existence, or pushing her away when she clearly cares for you? '_

Obi-Wan lifted his head from the table and looked at Qui-Gon, "I know I can trust Sabé but I never meant to intentionally push her away from me. I care about her too."

 _'Then you should tell her that you care about her,'_ he advised, _'Sabé is a very smart woman, Obi-Wan. She knows you care for her but your insecurities have forced her to pull away from you...you need to do something about that and quickly.'_

"What makes it worse is that I knew that I could trust her when I agreed to let her stay with me, but I chose not to tell her about Padmé's children," he admitted, "Now, she hates me."

Qui-Gon hmm'd and uncrossed his arms, _'Obi-Wan, I'm only going to say this once...stop whining! I don't care what you do and how you do it, but make things better with your roommate because if things stay as they are now, you're both going to be very miserable and the thing I need is to hear is the both of you whine about how much love each other but are unwilling to admit that you do.'_

Obi-Wan looked blankly at Qui-Gon and then glanced at Sabé's room, and then back to his former Master, (who had conveniently left him alone).

~~

_'You care for him.'_

_Sabé blushed and consciously brushed a hair away from her face. "Of course I care about him, he's my friend."_

_'No, that's not what I meant,' he interrupted. 'You love him.'_

_"The only time I ever talked to Obi-Wan was after the victory parade. Between then and the time we spent together on the Queen's ship, we barely had the chance to flirt with each other. Besides which, I had a duty and so did he," Sabé defended. "Obi-Wan said not to linger, and we shouldn't. He's expecting us," she said quickly and continued walking._

_Qui-Gon smiled._

_This is Qui-Gon's fault,_ Sabé realized as she sat alone in her room. He put these thoughts into her head and now, she was developing this weird hormonal attraction to her roommate. It all started with him. Sabé fumed and then curiously looked around her room. Qui-Gon rarely left them alone and she was willing to bet that he was still around, watching them.

Did that mean that he manipulated Obi-Wan's feelings as well? Sabé didn't think so but he certainly played with hers. Without thinking, Sabé left her bed and went to see Obi-Wan. She expected him to be in the kitchen where she left him but he wasn't there. She checked his bedroom -- no Obi-Wan there.

Sabé left the hut and found him standing outside. This wasn't Obi-Wan's fault, she reminded herself, it's Qui-Gon's fault. With that in mind, she stepped closer beside Obi-Wan and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry about the way I was before but you need to know that you can talk to me about anything. Padmé was my friend and I understand why you needed everyone to believe that her children had died with her,"

Obi-Wan turned and looked down at her, "I never meant to lie to you, Sabé..."

"I know."

tbc 


	5. Chapter 5

Sabé stayed outside with Obi-Wan awhile longer, and then she leaned up and kissed his cheek and walked back inside the hut. She'd forgiven Obi-Wan for lying to her about Padmé's children, but it still hurt her that he chose not to tell her. Padmé was her closest friend; they were like sisters when Sabé served as her decoy. Now that she knew the whole truth about Palpatine's new apprentice and his ties to Padmé, Sabé understood why he and Master Yoda needed the universe to believe that the twins died with Padmé. But her trust in Obi-Wan and her perfect image of who he was, was shattered.

"Sabé?" Obi-Wan called.

"I'm in here," she called back. Obi-Wan appeared a minute later at her bedroom door. Sabé smiled back at him and then noticed the look on his face. She wasn't sure what it meant as he stared at her and then she knew as he walked towards her and kissed her passionately. Sabé barely breathed as Obi-Wan kissed her and when he did pull away from her, her lips were swollen and dry.

"Obi-Wan," she said after a moment as he turned and looked at her. "Your beard -- I don't know how to say this but – do you think you could trim it a bit?"

Obi-Wan's eyes widened and he consciously scratched it. "Trim it? I kiss you for the first time and the first thing that you ask me is to give my beard a trim?" he asked.

Sabé smiled foolishly.

~~

"I didn't say that you have to shave it, but you look like a wookie with it," Sabé pleaded with him as she pushed him towards the fresher. Obi-Wan didn't say anything as they neared the fresher and he saw the shaver and towel, the Jedi made a run for it. "Obi-Wan Kenobi, you big baby! Come on, I promise it won't hurt!"

Obi-Wan rounded a corner and then slipped into his room, locking the door behind him. How could he shave his own beard? Yes, he loved Sabé and would do anything for her, but there were some things he would not do for her.

~~

Sabé moaned, standing outside Obi-Wan's door as she pleaded with him to open up. The minute Obi-Wan saw the shaver, he panicked and ran, but the only reason it was there because she used it to shave her legs. All she wanted was to give his beard a little trim so she could see him so she could see his smooth skin and the tiny dimples in his cheeks when he smiled.

"Obi-Wan," she called again, "please open up. I like you, I really do, but if you're going to continue acting like a baby, then you won't get a chance to kiss me again."

"I've lived a long time without kissing a woman, Sabé," he shot back, "I can live without it again! You're not shaving my beard."

Sabé smiled sarcastically. "Fine, Obi-Wan. But I promise you that the next couple of days, I'm going to make your life miserable."

"You're not shaving my beard!"

"We will see about that, Jedi," she answered. "We will see."

~~

Obi-Wan stared up at the ceiling above his bed. Thus far, he had counted two cracks and discovered that the ceiling, which he thought was flat and smooth, was more rough-looking. He'd never paid attention to detail before, mostly because he wasn't fighting his attraction to his roommate. Obi-Wan turned over, staring at the sidewall. On the other side, Sabé was asleep in her bed.

Obi-Wan didn't remember ever kissing another woman like that before. He wanted to kiss her before, but he was reluctant too because he was afraid if he did love Sabé, that his love for her would cloud his judgment. That was the reason why the Council installed the Jedi Code, but technically, the Council and the Order didn't exist anymore.

Obi-Wan reached up and scratched his beard. Maybe that was why he was so attached to this thing on his face. He sighed, closing his eyes, letting sleep come over him.

~~

"Sabé," Obi-Wan moaned, turning over in his bed. Strangely, he felt a woman's hands massage his chest and then warm lips begin to kiss his neck. Obi-Wan wrapped his arms around her back, feeling around her body. She gently removed his arms from her back and leaned down, brushing her hair against his face as she whispered in his ear, "What do you wish, Master?"

Obi-Wan grinned and opened his eyes, and then frowned. He stood from the bed as he examined himself and then left his room, walking next door to Sabé's room. She was fast sleep. Obi-Wan closed her door and then went back to his own room and crawled in bed. Was he imagining that Sabé was in room, teasing him in bed? Was this part of her plan to torture him into shaving his beard?

It didn't matter. If this was her plan, he wasn't giving in.

~~

Sabé giggled as she lay in bed; she didn't know if Qui-Gon could do it, it but he did. She asked him to create an illusion that she was in Obi-Wan's bed. It worked. Once he woke up and went to her room and saw her still sleeping, he quickly went back to bed. Perhaps tomorrow, she could persuade him to give his beard a trim.

~~

"Good morning, milady," Obi-Wan said to Sabé as she sat at the kitchen table, drinking caf. She smiled at him curtly and then continued to drink her caf. Obi-Wan cleared his throat and she looked up at him again. "Did you sleep well last night?"

"Oh yes," she said.

"Hmm, I'm glad to hear it," he replied.

Sabé smiled at him again and brought up her legs, holding them to her chest. Obi-Wan looked over at her as part of her nightgown exposed some her cleavage as she tried to get herself comfortable in her chair. "Oh, would you like some caf?"

"Yes, thank you," he muttered. Sabé smiled and reached over the table in front of Obi-Wan as the bust of her nightgown flowed freely in front of him. Sabé smiled to herself and then calmed down as she grabbed the pot. As she gave it to Obi-Wan, she purposely let her fingers slip and drips of coffee spilled over her nightgown.

"Sithspit," Sabé cursed, sitting back down again. Obi-Wan quickly ran to the counter, grabbing some napkins and handed them to her but Sabé waved them away. "I'll just change." Sabé stood up and walked back to her room.

"Um, I'm sorry about your night gown, Sabé," Obi-Wan apologized to her.

"Oh no, it was my fault," she replied back to him. "I'm such a klutz,"

~~

Sabé didn't bother Obi-Wan for the rest of the afternoon. Obi-Wan was thankful. He needed time to himself to think about last night. He could have sworn Sabé was in his room last night but now he knew that it was a Jedi illusion. Obi-Wan couldn't have created the illusion because he was asleep, which left a former Jedi Master with too much free time on his hands to help a mischievous former handmaiden torture him until he would give in and shave his beard. And Obi-Wan knew he wasn't being paranoid. He grinned, fingering his beard.

 _' They want to play with me, I will play with them, '_ he reasoned.

~~

Sabé leaned back in her bed, thinking of her next move. Her idea last night to ask Qui-Gon to create an illusion that she was in Obi-Wan's bed, and then have him wake up, go to her room and then stupidly wander back to his own was brilliant. But she knew that Obi-Wan stubborn and wasn't going to give in so quickly. Neither was she.

"What do you think I should do?" Sabé asked her partner in crime.

 _' I don't know, m'lady, '_ Qui-Gon replied, _'But this is becoming ridiculous. Can't you forget about it and leave him be? '_

Sabé was shocked. "I'm not going to forget about it. That thing on his face, it's so hairy and messy and what if the next time I kissed him, I got one of the hairs in my mouth?"

 _'I never had that problem,'_ he muttered and Sabé looked at him suspiciously, _'I mean, getting hairs in my mouth. '_

"I just want my clean-shaven, handsome, Jedi Knight back," she cried, hugging her pillow, "I don't want to torture him."

_'All right, I'll talk to him about it...If he agrees, this war between you can end, FINALLY, '_

"Mini war," she corrected, “but if Obi-Wan continues to be stubborn, it could get ugly."

Qui-Gon moaned.

~~

Obi-Wan grinned to himself as he felt Qui-Gon appear behind him. He knew his Master was working with Sabé, against him, but now, he was going to turn the tables on them both.

 _'Obi-Wan, I came to talk to you about, '_ Qui-Gon started, _'That thing on your face. If you and Sabé are to have a relationship, compromises must be made. She's not asking you to shave the thing off, just trim it a little. '_

"I'm not giving in so easily," he replied, his back still turned away from him. "I don't care what Sabé says to you about her intentions, the beard stays."

Qui-Gon grunted, crossing his arms, _'Very well. Then, I should warn you that Sabé has said to me if you refuse, things will get dirty. '_

Obi-Wan finally turned to him, "I'm ready for whatever she has planned..."

~~

Sabé couldn't believe how incredibly stubborn Obi-Wan was being. She was actually thinking about letting the whole thing go, but if he wasn't giving in, neither would she. Sabé watched him as he meditated in the middle of the living room.

"Obi-Wan," Sabé started, "This whole thing has gotten out of hand...if the beard means so much to you, then you can keep it."

He opened one eye and glanced at her, and then opened his other eye, "Are you sure?"

"Honestly, I would prefer if the whole thing came off but obviously, it has special meaning to you, so I'm ending this war now. Truce?"

Obi-Wan grinned, "Truce, and thank you for understanding, Sabé, about how I feel. That's very mature of you."

Sabé winced. Mature? She was being immature about the whole thing? Please, he locked himself in his room and refused to come out. "Thank you."

~~

**_Later that night..._ **

Sabé watched Obi-Wan as he slept. Even though she said to him that their little war was over, she still wanted that beard gone. Sabé snuck into the room, and then crawled onto his bed, straddling his waist as she brought out the shears. Qui-Gon watched nervously as Sabé leaned over Obi-Wan and started trimming.

Thankfully, Obi-Wan didn't move at all. _'Yes,'_ Sabé cried, _'He's a deep sleeper! '_

However, as she was finished, Obi-Wan turned on his side, knocking her off him and Sabé fell to the floor. Qui-Gon rushed forward and caught the scissors, and then quickly made himself vanish as Obi-Wan awoke. He looked around the room and then reached up and felt his chin. His beard was considerably thinner than before and then rose from his bed, walking around his room.

Sabé crawled across the floor, trying to avoid him. As Obi-Wan continued to look around the room, Sabé continued to crawl around until finally, she ran into him.

"Sabé," he said as she gazed up at him, "Were you looking for something?"

She stood up casually, smiling foolishly, "Um, I think I was sleep walking..."

"My beard is thin," he interrupted.

"I was sleepwalking and lost my scissors. I think I found them..." she continued and then remembered that Qui-Gon took them, "but it looks like I lost them again. So sorry for waking you, Ben. I'll go look for them now..."

Obi-Wan touched his beard again and then quickly grabbed Sabé's elbow, stopping her. "That's not necessary, Sabé. It's very late now and you can look for them tomorrow."

"I guess you're right," she mused, "Good night, Obi-Wan."

"Good night, Sabé," he said, "And thank you for the trim. I couldn't have done it better myself."

Sabé moaned.

~~

Sabé watched Obi-Wan examine his beard. As she sat there, watching him, she remembered last night. Obi-Wan turned over on his side, knocking her onto the floor but now that she thought about it, it made her wonder. Did he know that she was there and did he knock her over on purpose? How could he know when she was able to trim his beard and he never once moved. No, he had to have known at that point she was there, Sabé convinced herself.

"Obi-Wan?" she asked quietly, "...about last night, did you know I was there?"

"You mean when I knocked you over and you fell on the floor?" he asked. "I felt something was wrong, yes, but I didn't know that you were there."

Sabé blushed and lowered her head, "I'm so sorry, Obi-Wan...I lied to you about my feelings and I went ahead and did this to your face..."

"I think we're both guilty of lying to each other, Sabé," he interrupted, "I think the reason I became so attached to my beard was because it reminded me of the Jedi Order, and they're gone now."

Sabé reached over and gently grasped his hand. Obi-Wan looked down and smiled. "You really didn't do a horrible job trimming my beard, considering it was very dark in my room," he joked, "I should really thank you." Sabé blushed and looked away. Obi-Wan brought up his other hand and turned her face to look at him, and then he leaned forward and kissed her.

Sabé giggled as he pulled away, and she touched his smoother face, "You're welcome, Ben."

tbc


	6. Chapter 6

Sabé hungrily kissed Obi-Wan, unaware that they had moved from the kitchen table to bedroom. She only became aware of their new surroundings when she found herself on a bed, and then quickly pushed him away. Obi-Wan frowned, dumbfounded by her actions. This was not how Sabé imagined their first time would be together. She imagined something romantic, and slow, leading up to this point.

"No," she cried, "I'm sorry, Ben. I really am but this isn't the way it should be between us," she started explaining to him, "I love you so much but it isn't right...We barely had a courtship if you can call our mini war a courtship."

Obi-Wan sighed, "Are you saying we need to go on a date before we go any farther?"

"Maybe not a date but I think we should take things slowly first," she admitted, "I mean, we're roommates. If something goes wrong, we're still gonna be stuck with each other, for better or worse."

"Hmm," he mused, "You're right. We are after all two adults and can wait."

Sabé smiled, leaned over and kissed him. She lingered awhile longer, still, despite her own words, she'd loved him for a very long time. Sabé smiled and backed away from him, crawling off the bed. "Now, I really need to leave...If I stay here any longer, I might forget about what I just said."

~~

Sabé left Obi-Wan alone for most of the day. She knew that he must have been angry with her. If he was, she couldn't blame him. First, she asked him to shave his beard; he refused and then she ended up in his bed, trimming it and then once they both gave into their feelings, Sabé backed away. At this point, Sabé wouldn't be surprised if he gave up trying to be with her.

'What is wrong with me?' Sabé cried, 'He loves me very much and I've turned him away, twice!' Sabé moaned and fell backwards onto her bed.

"Why am I so scared?" she asked herself. Sabé wished she could rewind and start over again with Obi-Wan. Before they developed feelings for each other, when they were just roommates and nothing else. That was easier for Sabé.

"Sabé?"

Sabé looked up and quickly sat up straight on her, smiling hello to Obi-Wan.

"I was thinking we could talk," he said.

He wants to end it, Sabé realized. She smiled and stood up from the bed, "I think we should,"

~~

Obi-Wan led Sabé to the living room and gestured they both sit down on the floor. Sabé shrugged and sat cross-legged on the carpet. Obi-Wan reached over and gently grasped her hands in his and closed his eyes.

"Um Obi-Wan, you said that you wanted to talk," she interrupted, "Talking involves opening your mouth and words coming out of it, doesn't it?"

Obi-Wan smirked and opened his eyes, looking at her. "Sorry. The reason why I asked out to come out here because I feel that even though we are roommates, there are things between us that we don't share with each other. This is the time to share those things."

"And we do this by closing our eyes?" Sabé asked.

"I was going to open a Force bond with you but we can do this the 'old-fashioned' way too."

Sabé let go of his hands and leaned back on the carpet, "Okay. What do you want to know about me?"

Obi-Wan smirked again and started to rub his chin, and then remembered that his beard wasn't there anymore and put his hand down. "How long have you been friends with Padmé?"

"I think there's a line between bodyguard and Queen but Padmé was different. She befriended each one of us and deep down, despite the makeup and really large dresses, she was a teenage girl," she said, "My turn...Have you ever been in love before?"

Obi-Wan frowned and he looked away from Sabé. "I was once. When I was still a Padawan, Qui-Gon and I went on a mission with another Master and Padawan. I wouldn't say that we were in love then but we had strong feelings for each other but of course, attachment of any kind, even between Jedi is forbidden. So we decided to break it off and we made ourselves forget."

"Wait a minute," Sabé added, "How can you do that? How can you make yourself forget that you were in love?"

"I didn't say we were," he corrected, "Only that we cared for each other and it is possible to forget that you were in love,"

Sabé leaned up and crossed her arms, "Tell me how this is possible,"

"You don't think about what happened. Eventually, you forget the feeling, the sadness and the sacrifice that you had to make," he said, "but I didn't get to finish my story. Before the purge happened, we reunited again and this time we admitted to each other what we still felt for each other. So in a sense, we didn't really forget...My turn. What about you?"

"Have I ever been in love?" Sabé wandered, "I've had my share of crushes and have dated off and on but I can't say that I've ever been in love. Both of my sisters are married and have their children but I've always clung to this mentality that the one I would fall in love, would go out of his way to romance me and wouldn't leave me alone until I finally gave in and admitted that I loved him too."

"Hmm," Obi-Wan said, "Sounds very familiar,"

Sabé giggled and then smiled sourly, "Obi-Wan, I hope you don't think that I'm stringing you along only to break your heart in the end."

He smiled warmly, "I know that and I'm not doing that to you. As a Jedi, love wasn't a priority because it was forbidden. So if it seems like I can't make up my mind about you it's because I'm not used to this feeling,"

She shrugged, "I'm not either. It's new to me too,"

"What was your first impression of me the first time we met?"

"Dashing young Jedi padawan with a really cute braid?" she joked, "Actually, I think I was so focused on the situation to even really think about you,"

"That means you were doing your job, and knew what was required of you," he said, "Qui-Gon was the first to figure out about the ruse because 'Padmé' had this aura of royalty about her and it was strange feeling coming from a handmaiden."

"Did I ever have that aura?"

Obi-Wan shrugged, "We never talked so I don't know."

"That's fair," she mused, "This is good. I like this,"

tbc


	7. Chapter 7

"Do you miss Naboo?"

Sabé looked thoughtfully at Obi-Wan and smiled. "When I decided to follow you to Tatooine, it never crossed my mind that I would end up living with you. I came because I wanted answers. In Nubian society, it's considered rude to ask about our personal lives." She paused and frowned. "Many people will never know the reason and circumstances surrounding Padmé's death, and they won't care because what matters is that she served her people…In a roundabout way, if I ever decided to go back there, I'm not sure if it would a difference."

"That makes sense," Obi-Wan reasoned. "Looking back, there were a lot of things I wish I had done different…"

Sabé moaned. "Oh, stop that! I refuse to listen to this. You can't change what happened, Ben, and talking about what could have been is pointless."

Ben laughed. "You never hold back, do you?"

"My thoughts and opinions?" she asked. "Never, at least when I'm with you."

"Let's make a promise, then, to never hold back our feelings from each other."

Sabé looked at him suspiciously, but didn't sense any ulterior motives behind the statement. "Promise," she whispered.

Neither said anything after that. Sabé thought about leaving, and then Obi-Wan spoke up again.

"Come here."

Surprisingly, Sabé scooted over towards him. She didn't want to rush things before, but now she felt, especially after the promise she made to him, she couldn't hold back her feelings anymore. Obi-Wan's hands drifted to her waist as he leaned over and started kissing Sabé's neck. Sabé caught hold of his mouth as his hands continued to roam her body. She moved away briefly as Obi-Wan removed his tunic and then helped Sabé take off her blouse.

They looked at each other for a moment. Sabé rested her hand on Obi-Wan's chest as he began to explore her upper body with his mouth.

"Ben?" she asked, and he looked up at her. Obi-Wan kissed her passionately as he suddenly lifted her from the ground and carried her to the bedroom and gently rested her body on the bed.

~~

Sabé sighed, standing outside of the hut as she watched the twin suns of Tatooine set. She'd woken up early and left Obi-Wan sleeping to stand outside in the cool air. The young woman needed time to herself to think about things. She and Obi-Wan were together, but it was never her intention to fall for him. That, she knew, was Qui-Gon's doing, but that wasn't what was bothering her.

Now they were together, what would the future be like for them? Sabé wanted to share with her family how she felt about him, but she knew that wasn't possible, because they would risk detection by the Emperor. If he could trace her location, he'd find Obi-Wan, and then, eventually, little Luke.

Little Luke. Obi-Wan told her about his existence and Leia's, but she never really saw what he looked like. Did he look more like Padmé, or like his father? If Obi-Wan came here to watch over him, he must have had a plan – to know what to do once he matured.

Sabé leaned back onto the hut, looking again at the sunset, never once noticing the beings watch her from a distance. She turned briefly in their direction and then when she looked back, one of them crept near her and grabbed her.

~~

Obi-Wan awoke violently, sweating. Something wasn't right. He looked to where he expected Sabé to be, but she wasn't there. He bolted from the bed, grabbed his robe, pants, and lightsaber, and quickly rushed out of the hut.

~~

Sabé couldn't say anything as she sat in the corner of the small hut, tied to a branch as two sand people kept guard over her. They hadn't beaten her, but she knew that with time, they wouldn't let her be. She closed her eyes and bit her lip. Another entered the hut, talked to the other two and then they looked toward Sabé.

Slowly, the three of them stalked towards her. Sabé wanted to scream as they came upon her, but all there was…was silence…

~~

 _' Obi-Wan, listen to me! '_ Qui-Gon pleaded with his former apprentice. _' If the sand people have taken her, you need to be cautious. '_ Obi-Wan only glared at him. He didn't want to think about what she could possible be going through at the moment if they had her but he didn't want to stand around and wait, either.

"I can't leave her," he reasoned. "I can't let them…" Obi-Wan stopped himself, and instead turned the other way and left the hut.

~~

Sabé's head was throbbing as she sat alone in the hut. Her whole body ached. She tried to move her feet, but she couldn't feel them. Visibly, she knew she still had feet, but they were numb. Sabé tried to sit up, but thought better of it and stayed where she was. She was too weak to move, and as much as she didn't want to stay there and wait to see what would happen to her, she had no choice but to stay put.

Those things had beat her senselessly, and when they grew tired of beating her, they left her and didn't bother to tend to her wounds. At this point, she didn't even know if there were still around, or if they had abandoned her completely. Though, if they did abandon her, she had less to worry about or not. Some other creature could always come along and finish her off.

 _'Get a grip, Sabé, '_ she cried. _' Obi-Wan will be here soon. '_

But what if he didn't get to her in time? What if she was dead when he got here? There were so many things she wanted to tell him…Sabé started to cry as she realized that she never told him she loved him. She'd been so scared to give into her feelings this whole time, and she never even had the chance to tell him how she felt.

Reasonably, he could have some idea, since she did sleep with him, but Sabé needed to tell him. She knew how he felt about her; he'd professed his love to several times and each time, she turned him away.

"Oh Ben…" she managed before falling unconscious.

~~

"Stay strong, Sabé," Obi-Wan pleaded as he watched the camp. There were three sand people outside of her hut. Three, only three? That didn't seem right. Obi-Wan looked around for any lurking about. If there were only three, rescuing Sabé would be an easy task. He removed his lightsaber from his belt and jumped down from the cliff, startling them.

~~

Sabé stirred from her sleep. She could hear the hum of a lightsaber outside the hut, and knew it had to be Obi-Wan. Once again, she tried to sit up, but her legs still weren't cooperating. Instead, she stared at the entrance. There were only three of them; they couldn't have overpowered him. He was a Jedi, her Jedi.

She could hear thuds outside, and then saw a hand open the door of the hut and a body step inside. She stared happily at Obi-Wan and then collapsed. Obi-Wan ran over to her and untied her, and stood up, holding her in his arms. He brought her to the center of the room and laid her down.

"Sabé…"

She opened her eyes again and smiled. "You came…"

"Of course," he said, bent down and kissed her gently. "We need to get out of here quick…Can you walk?"

"I can't feel anything in my legs."

Obi-Wan looked down at her legs and gently touched them. They must have repeatedly hit her legs with their staffs. Obi-Wan clenched his teeth and then took Sabé once again in his arms, and walked out of the hut.

tbc


	8. Chapter 8

Despite being conscious when Obi-Wan rescued her from the sand people, Sabé stayed in a coma for several days. He'd taken care of her legs and performed a Jedi healing technique, but her body was still unresponsive. Obi-Wan stayed by her bedside, watching her and hoping she would wake. Qui-Gon stood watch with him, also hopeful Sabé was still with them.

"She has to wake up," Obi-Wan reasoned, grasping hold of her hand. "She talked to me after I rescued her – so she has to be all right."

Qui-Gon didn't reply.

~~

Darkness surrounded Sabé. She could feel that Obi-Wan was with her but the pain held her back from reaching out to him. Sabé wanted to wake up and let Obi-Wan know that she was all right, she wanted him to shelter her and for him to be there for her. She could remember the sandpeople, standing over her and beating her until they were bored. Sabé never understood until that moment, that evil existed in this world and evil could be senseless. The only light, her only hope was that Obi-Wan would come for her and he did. He held her in his arms and carried her back home.

Sabé tried to reach out to him but her body still ached. He must have felt that she wanted to reach him but she wasn't sure.

~~

A week had passed when Obi-Wan began to loose hope that his love would ever wake from her coma. Qui-Gon also knew that it didn't seem likely that she would wake up, but he never expressed his doubts to Obi-Wan. They took turns watching her; Obi-Wan meditated in his room to calm his nerves, and hopefully find peace…

He never expected to hear Sabé's voice in his head as he meditated. Obi-Wan could hear her vividly, calling to him. She was in pain, a lot of pain, and she wanted to wake up, but her pain paralyzed her. Sabé had so many other thoughts in her head but one thought kept repeating over and over…. that she needed to wake up and be with Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan didn't want to break the connection but he stood up and ran back to where Sabé was, with Qui-Gon. He looked up at him curiously, and then Obi-Wan took his place by her side, grasping her hand again and he closed his eyes.

 _' Sabé? I hear you…come back to me, '_ he pleaded.

 _'Ben, I hear you, but the pain…it hurts so much! '_ she cried.

 _'I know, my love, but I need you with me…Please wake up…I'm right here with you…Qui-Gon's here too…'_ Obi-Wan said. _' Please, my love…Come back to us…'_

_'The pain…it's too much. '_

_'Sabé, I'm here…I know they hurt you but you're safe now…Please, my love…I need you to wake up…'_ Obi-Wan pleaded again, and then came out of the trance. He looked at Qui-Gon and then they both looked at Sabé.

She didn't seem to be moving, but then Obi-Wan felt Sabé squeeze his hand. Sabé moaned a bit, and then groggily opened her eyes. Obi-Wan cried and kissed her gently. Sabé recognized it was he and kissed him back.

~~

The next couple of days, Obi-Wan helped Sabé re-awaken her legs. He practiced walking with her around the hut. Finally, a week later, Sabé was able to walk around the hut with no assistance from him. Obi-Wan smiled as she walked about…he could have lost her. She could have given up and died as he waited for her to wake up, but she held on. Sabé knew that Obi-Wan needed her and that gave her hope.

Obi-Wan never asked her what the sand people did to her, and he didn't need to know. What mattered was that she came back to him, and she survived. Not many people who had encountered the sand people had lived, but Sabé was strong.

One day as they sat together, eating lunch, Obi-Wan couldn't help but stare at Sabé. It hadn't occurred to him until now, but somehow he had developed a bond with Sabé. He wasn't sure how it had happened, but it had. If the bond wasn't there, Obi-Wan was sure he wouldn't be able to communicate with Sabé when she was in that coma. Was she Force sensitive?

"What is it?" Sabé finally asked, almost annoyed that he was staring at her.

"Have you ever been tested?"

Sabé raised an eyebrow and then frowned, realizing what he was talking about. She had heard him when she was in her coma. "No," she said simply, "I was never tested, but I know I'm not a Jedi, Ben. I can't explain how I was able to hear you, but I don't have Jedi powers like you."

"You don't have to be a Jedi in order for this type of bond to occur," he reasoned. "Maybe the bond between us has always been there, I don't know…"

Sabé ate some more of her food. "What about Qui-Gon?" she asked. "Couldn't have he opened up a connection between us? He was the one that started to put these weird thoughts in my head about you."

Obi-Wan frowned. "What thoughts?"

Sabé shrugged. "That maybe you meant more to be that just being my roommate and friend…and you do. I stayed alive because I knew that I couldn't leave without being able to tell you my feelings."

Ben smiled and gently touched her hands. "It's all right, Sabé. I already know how you feel."

"I thought as much," she reasoned, "but I never said it to you. The whole time I was here, I never said anything and I should have. Saying those three words means commitment and being partners, more than roommates. But I love you; I love you, Obi-Wan Kenobi."

Sabé stood up and came over, sitting on his lap. She leaned down and kissed him. "I love you," she whispered again.

~~

It had been four months since the sand people incident and since then, things had been relatively quiet. Now, whenever Sabé went out during the day, Obi-Wan went with her. She hadn't minded at first, but now it was starting to annoy her. Besides that, she was late, but Sabé didn't want to talk to Obi-Wan about it.

  
She could have been wrong, but it didn't feel that way, and lately she and Obi-Wan had been spending more time together. If she was pregnant, Sabé wasn't even sure if she was ready to be a mother. And she wasn't even married to Obi-Wan, and she didn't want him to marry her out of obligation. It wouldn't be fair to him, her and their child.

She still needed a second opinion, which left Qui-Gon. The former Jedi Master felt his presence needed and appeared on Sabé's bed.

_'Is something wrong, Sabé? '_

Sabé fidgeted and then pulled up her dresser chair and sat down. "I think I might be pregnant."

_' What makes you think that? '_

"I'm late," she muttered. "I haven't talked to Ben about it and I don't want to until I know for sure…so I want you to check."

_'Me? '_

"You can still do that, can't you?"

Qui-Gon sighed and told her to sit still as he rested his hand on her stomach. He felt a life forming inside of her, a very mature life, and maybe two months old. _' Are you sure you counted the day's right? '_

"I am pregnant," Sabé realized, drawing away from him.

 _'You should talk to Obi-Wan about this. Eventually, he will realize something has changed, '_ Qui-Gon urged her.

Sabé fidgeted again and stood up, pacing the room. "We never talked about having a family…I mean, I love Obi-Wan; I love him very much, but this is something we never planned on, and I know he needs to be focused on watching Luke. What if he doesn't want this?"

Qui-Gon laughed. _' Sabé, he loves you. Of course, he'll want this…especially now. '_

Sabé frowned and turned back to Qui-Gon, confused about his statement. "Why especially now? What do you mean?" she asked.

 _'Jedi were forbidden to have children, to even have relationships within the Order, but that is not the case anymore since the Order is gone, '_ Qui-Gon explained.

"Wouldn't it be risky though?" Sabé continued. "We already have one Jedi potential living not too far away from us. I know Obi-Wan doesn't use his Jedi Powers as much anymore, but if this child is Force sensitive, it would be like a natural homing beacon for the Emperor to find us."

Qui-Gon hmm'd, understanding her concern. He hadn't thought about that happening and he would be wrong to say to Sabé that it wouldn't happen. _' I can't guarantee that won't happen, but we've been in hiding four months now. If the Emperor were looking for us, he would have found us by now. '_

Sabé sat down on the bed, next to him. "That doesn't make me feel any better. I just don't want to put any of our lives in danger, especially Obi-Wan's. He needs to survive for Luke and Leia, so he can teach them."

_' Talk to Obi-Wan, Sabé. That's what you should do, but I sense he will be happy about this new development. '_

tbc


	9. Chapter 9

Sabé popped her head into Obi-Wan’s room. Even though they were lovers, Obi-Wan and Sabé both understood that they needed to give each other space and privacy. Thus, when they weren’t together, they stayed out of each other’s rooms.   
  
“Um, Ben, I need to talk to you about something..” Sabé started. Obi-Wan made space for her on his bed. Sabé smiled thanks and sat down beside him. “I really don’t know how to say this…. I’m late.”   
  
“Late? I don’t understand what you mean.”   
  
Sabé moaned; she’d never taken into consideration that Obi-Wan wouldn’t be familiar with female problems, but she really didn’t want to explain to him the whole menstrual cycle. “I missed my period. Apparently, I’m two months late. Qui-Gon confirmed it,” she said.   
  
There was still a blank expression on Obi-Wan’s face. Sabé wasn’t sure if what she told him registered in his mind, and then he finally spoke. “When did this happen?” Obi-Wan questioned.   
  
“Probably two months ago after my recovery. And if I remember correctly, it was then that we couldn’t keep our hands off each other.”   
  
“We still can’t keep our hands off each other,” he countered.   
  
Sabé began to fidget again. “You haven’t said how you feel,” she added. “Are you happy?”   
  
Obi-Wan turned and looked at Sabé, and then kissed her suddenly. “Of course, I’m happy. I wasn’t expecting this, and judging from your reaction, you weren’t expecting this either, but I’m happy. I’m very happy about this.”   
  
“I talked to Qui-Gon about what could happen to us after the baby is born. Obi-Wan, I want to think of this baby as a blessing, not a curse,” Sabé said.   
  
“Where is this coming from?”   
  
Sabé shrugged. “Luke and Leia had to be separated from each other because it was too dangerous to keep them together.”   
  
Obi-Wan soothingly touched Sabé’s cheek with his hand. “This baby could be Force-sensitive, or he may not be,” he mused, “but I promise you this, Sabé, this baby, our child, is not a curse and I will protect the both of you at all costs.”   
  
~~   
  
“Not too long from now, we won’t be able to be in this position for awhile,” Sabé said as she lay next to Obi-Wan in bed.   
  
“I don’t think it’ll be too bad,” Obi-Wan mused. Sabé turned and looked at him incredulously. “It won’t be, right?”   
  
Sabé laughed. “I’m sorry, Ben, but it’s time for you to know the truth of what’s to come: diapers, continuous crying, uncivilized behavior…it’s going to be a hellish experience.”   
  
“You forgot late night feedings,” he added.   
  
“And cravings, but I’ll try not to drive you crazy too much,” she teased.   
  
Obi-Wan laughed, staring at Sabé. “How come you never married?”   
  
Sabé blushed and shrugged. “Never found the right person, and there’s also timing. My sisters married before me and had children before me…I liked my independence, Ben. I never really felt that strong connection before, well, until you.”   
  
Obi-Wan sat up a bit. “Then we should get married.”   
  
“Why?”   
  
“Because we love each other and you’re carrying my child,” he reasoned.   
  
Sabé frowned and drew away from him. “I don’t want you to marry me out of obligation, Obi-Wan. Besides, it’s not like I’m gonna go anywhere anytime soon.”   
  
“Sabé, I want to marry you. I won’t lie to you and say it isn’t because of the baby, he or she is a part of the reason, but I really want to marry you. Sabé, don’t you want that?”   
  
“Obi-Wan, I love you. I’m already pregnant with your child and I can’t leave Tatooine. Why do we need to be married? Do you really think us being married now is going to change anything?”   
  
Obi-Wan shrugged. “No, probably not…”   
  
“We don’t need to be married, then,” she concluded. “I love you and that’s enough for me. I don’t need to be married to you to show you how much I love you.” Sabé kissed him.   
  
“Yes, but…?”   
  
“I don’t want to talk about this anymore, Ben,” she pleaded. “Just be here with me, my love.”   
  
~~

Two Months later 

“Ben, I need to go out for a bit to get some food,” Sabé called to Obi-Wan. “I promise I won’t be long.” Sabé looked around for her purse and found it lying on the kitchen table. She picked it up and checked to see if she had enough money for what she needed to get. 

Obi-Wan came to the living room as she started to head out. “I should come with you,” he said. 

Sabé walked over to Obi-Wan and kissed him. “That’s very sweet of you, but I’ll be fine on my own. I won’t be long, I promise.” Sabé smiled and kissed him again. 

~~ 

Sabé walked around the marketplace. She’d bought what she needed and now she was browsing. She stopped at one stall, looking at the clothes, and then looked up suddenly as she noticed a young woman walk around carrying a blonde-haired boy. 

“Come on, Luke,” she said to him, and they hurried along. 

“M’lady?” 

Sabé turned, looked at the merchant and then wandered off, following the pair. She didn’t know why she was following them, but she supposed it was because she was curious. They finally stopped at another stall as the woman looked at some clothes. Sabé stood beside her and let her eyes drift to the boy in her arms. His blue eyes and sandy blonde hair reminded her of Anakin. The boy noticed she was looking at him and turned away, tugging on his aunt’s sleeve. 

“What is it Luke?” she asked and turned, looking at Sabé. 

Sabé smiled, tossing her hair aside. “You have a beautiful boy.” 

The woman shrugged, looking down at Luke and smiled. “Thank you. He’s my nephew. I’m Beru Lars.” 

“Sabé Maberrie.” 

Beru shifted her weight, looking curiously at Sabé. “You’re not from around here, are you?” 

“I live out in the Dune Sea, but I’m originally from Naboo,” she said and then smiled at Luke. “Have you ever heard of Naboo before Luke?” 

The boy turned away from Sabé and Beru laughed. “He doesn’t talk yet,” she said, standing back, noticing for the first time that she was pregnant. “You’re expecting?” 

“Yes,” Sabé said, “five more months.” 

“Luke and I were on our way home for lunch…would you like to join us?” 

Sabé hesitated. If Obi-Wan knew about this, he wouldn’t be happy. She stood there for awhile, thinking it over. Then Luke turned his head back and looked at her. Sabé smiled. “Yes, I would like that.” 

Luke smiled too. 

~~ 

“Owen, we’re home,” Beru called to her husband as Sabé followed behind her into the kitchen. She let Luke down and Beru gestured she sit down as she poured some tea for herself and Sabé, and sat down as well. “Hmm, have you thought about names?” 

Sabé shrugged. “Not really…” 

“You should, especially now. Finding a name is probably the most difficult thing to do,” Beru said. “Do you know if it’s a girl or boy?” 

“No,” she mused and frowned. “That isn’t good, is it?” 

“Oh no, that’s all right,” Beru added, “but the names are important. You should think about it.” 

“Beru.” 

Beru and Sabé turned around. Beru smiled at Owen as he entered the kitchen. “Owen, this is Sabé Maberrie. I invited her to have lunch with us, and to talk,” Beru said. 

Sabé blushed, unsure what to say. Owen stared at Sabé and then looked at his wife. Somehow, Sabé was starting to feel that Owen didn’t approve of her presence there.  

~~ 

“Your nephew, Luke, is a very sweet boy,” Sabé said. Owen looked up at her curiously. Sabé knew Owen was suspicious of her, and probably if it were up to him, she would have left a long time ago. He didn’t know about her connection to Obi-Wan, but Sabé was sure, deep down, he knew. “What happened to his parents?” 

“They died,” Owen said bluntly as Beru looked up at her husband. “His mother died in childbirth, and his father . . . he couldn’t handle the loss, and he died of heartbreak.” 

Sabé frowned and started playing with her food. “I’m sorry.” 

“And  when is your child due Sabé?” Owen asked. 

“Um, five more months.” 

“I told Sabé that now would be a good time to start thinking about names,” Beru added and smiled at her. “For a boy and or a girl.” 

Sabé smiled wishfully. “I like to think it’s a girl, but you never know.” She looked at Owen, and then looked down at her food again. Honestly, Sabé had expected that because Beru was a warm and kind person that her husband would be the same way. She was wrong. “Um, I think I should go now. I promised my husband that I wouldn’t be long, and he’s probably worried about me.” Sabé stood up. 

Beru frowned and then smiled, understanding. “It was wonderful to have met you, Sabé.” 

Owen stood up as well, never taking his eyes off of Sabé. “Beru, go and see Luke. I’m going to escort our guest out.”  

~~ 

Sabé didn’t say anything to Owen as they walked to the front of the homestead. He hadn’t talked to her at all during dinner, and Sabé didn’t want to upset the man any further. Now, Sabé was sure he knew her connection to Obi-Wan, even if she never mentioned his name. 

“Luke is very lucky to have the both of you raising him,” Sabé said. 

Owen stopped walking and looked at Sabé. “You didn’t come here because you happened to bump into my wife. You came because you were curious about him,” Owen stated. 

“Luke was part of the reason,” Sabé corrected him. “Padmé was my friend, a part of my family. When she died, the people of Naboo didn’t know she was pregnant. They would never question who the father was, but her family deserves to know the truth. That’s why I came, to know the truth.” 

“I don’t want you to come back here again. Luke’s safe here with us. He’s loved and protected...you can pass that onto Kenobi.” 

“He didn’t send me to check up on him, but I’ll pass on the message to him when I see him,” Sabé retorted. “How did you know…I never mentioned his name.” 

Owen grunted, “You didn’t have to. You look like Padmé. I don’t know if Beru saw it, but I did.” 

tbc


	10. Chapter 10

"Where have you been? It's been more than an hour," Obi-Wan asked, "and you said you wouldn't be long."

Sabé shrugged, setting her bags on the kitchen table, along with her purse. "I had more things to get than I expected."

Obi-Wan sighed, not wanting to argue further. He really didn't like it when she stayed out long, not since the incident with the Sand People. "It's just…it was getting late, and the Sand People . . ." He paused. "I already started to make something for dinner."

"I'm sorry," Sabé added. "I'm sorry, Ben."

~~

Sabé played with her food, barely looking up at Obi-Wan. She hated the idea of lying to him, and she knew she shouldn't keep this from him for long. Sabé hadn't started her day knowing that she would meet Beru and Luke in the marketplace; it just happened. Obi-Wan would understand that. "I saw Luke and Beru in the marketplace," she started.

Obi-Wan stopped eating and glanced up at Sabé. He didn't want to say anything until he knew the whole story, and he knew, most likely, it was only a coincidence.

"He's a very shy boy. Beru was nice. She invited me back to the homestead for dinner. Owen didn't approve of my presence there. I think he knew who I was, even though I never mentioned your name to him," Sabé said and looked at Obi-Wan curiously. "I wanted to meet Beru and Luke. I never knew Padmé was pregnant, and I guess I was curious how much of her was in Luke. Although, at his age, he looks more like Anakin when he was a boy." Sabé smiled briefly and then continued eating.

"Sabé," Obi-Wan said quietly, "don't do that again."

"I can't, since Owen has forbidden me from the homestead," she joked. "I didn't do this to annoy you, Obi-Wan…"

"I know you didn't, but don't attempt to make contact with Luke or the Lars' again. I know Owen doesn't trust me because of what happened to Anakin. I don't need to give him another reason not to trust me."

Sabé stood up. "I'm not hungry anymore. I'm going to take a nap," she said, walking past his chair.

~~

Obi-Wan watched Sabé sleep as he stood silently in her doorway. Until tonight, he really hadn't thought about Luke. His purpose being on Tatooine was to watch him and hopefully, one day, teach him the ways of the Force. He'd become so preoccupied with his life with Sabé that he'd forgotten about the boy. Obi-Wan rarely talked to Sabé about the twins or what he said to Anakin during their last meeting on Mustafar. Talking about it only brought back bad memories. And Leia, he'd forgotten about her too. She was on Alderaan with Bail Organa and his wife.

If his reason for being on Tatooine was to train Luke, he was going to wait a very long time for him to grow up. What was he supposed to do until then? It was clear Owen wasn't going to allow him to become to close to the boy, and he wasn't going to let Sabé do the same thing either.

Obi-Wan started to move away and then Sabé called to him. She turned over on her side and looked at him.

"I thought you were asleep," Obi-Wan said.

"I was for a little while," Sabé admitted. "Ben, I never meant to upset you. I'm sorry."

Ben walked over to the bed and he sat down, grasping hold of her right hand. "I know. Until tonight, I hadn't really thought of Luke. I know he's the reason why I'm here, but at some point I'd forgotten about him."

Sabé sat up. "You've been preoccupied, Ben. That's understandable," she reasoned.

"I don't even know if Luke is Force sensitive," he mused. "If he isn't, then what am I going to do?"

Sabé smiled and touched his cheek gently. "You'll spend the rest of your days with me and our child," she whispered.

Obi-Wan smiled and kissed her hand. "That wouldn't be a bad way to spend my exile…"

"Sleep awhile with me," Sabé added and Obi-Wan lay down next to Sabé, still holding her hand. "Don't think about tomorrow Ben, just be here with me now."

~~

Sabé was alone in the living room when she started to hear whispers outside of the hut. She hmm'd, standing up slowly from the carpet where she was relaxing, and walked to the front. Halfway to the front of the hut, Sabé stopped walking and stood there in the hallway.

It could have been more Sand People, but she didn't feel that. Whoever was there, didn't feel like a threat. Convinced of this, Sabé continued on.

She looked curiously at the hooded women and then drew back, as they lowered their hoods. "What are you…how did you?" Sabé questioned before pulling the two women inside the hut. "As happy as I am to see you both, how did you find me?"

Saché shrugged and walked past her into the living room as Rabé followed behind her. "We saw your parents after Padmé's funeral. They asked where you were and we told them that you needed time by yourself, and then…" Saché started.

"…Then a week later, your mother started to panic that maybe the Emperor took you into custody because they hadn't heard from you since Padmé's funeral," Rabé said. "We promised your mother and father that we'd look for you and we have, for the past four months. We were about to give up, and then Saché suggested that we try looking in the Outer Rim. The idea that you were out here didn't seem likely, but I agreed that we should look."

"And Tatooine was our first stop," Saché finished.

Sabé sighed and went to sit down. "I can't believe this. I didn't mean to worry anyone, especially my family," Sabé started.

"We knew that," Rabé added, and glanced around a bit. "So you're here alone?"

Sabé shrugged and smiled partially. "Not exactly. I have company," she said.

"Now that we've found you, you can come home. Your parents will be relieved that you're all right," Rabé reasoned.

"Actually, I can't leave," Sabé admitted and pointed to her abdomen. "I'm pregnant and I can't go anywhere. My place is here."

"Is that why you left? Because you wanted privacy?" Saché laughed.

Sabé shrugged and sighed again. Rabé glared at Saché and then looked at Sabé. She could see that Sabé was torn, and there was something more she wasn't telling them. "The baby's father is here, isn't he?" Rabé asked.

"He is," Sabé said. "I appreciate the both of you coming all this way to find me, but I can't leave now."

Before Rabé could question her further, Obi-Wan strolled into the room. He walked past them and went to the kitchen to grab himself a snack. He looked up briefly and smiled at Sabé, and then frowned, seeing Rabé and Saché with her. The former handmaidens stared blankly at Obi-Wan as he stared back at them.

"He's the father?" Saché asked Sabé. Sabé nodded. "You've been busy, girl!"

~~

"This is unbelievable," Saché exclaimed. "You actually shaved Obi-Wan's beard when he was asleep?"

Sabé shrugged and glanced at Obi-Wan as he moaned, slouching in his chair. The four of them sat around the dining table; Obi-Wan had been reluctant to join them but Sabé insisted that he stay. "I'd rather not talk about that incident," he said as Saché laughed wildly.

"We're not teasing you, Obi-Wan," Rabé assured him, "but it is a very funny story."

Sabé laughed.

"And Qui-Gon's living here too?" Saché asked. "He just pops in and out whenever?"

Sabé turned and looked at Obi-Wan. She wasn't that familiar with Jedi ways, but essentially, Saché was right. "Um, yes. Master Yoda instructed me how to commune with Qui-Gon. His purpose here is to continue my Jedi training," he said, and Sabé frowned slightly. That was part of the reason he was there. The other reason was to help Obi-Wan become one with the Force, so he could pass over quickly when it was his time to die.

"He also serves as confident. He and Sabé are very close, in fact, he was the first person she confided in about her pregnancy," Obi-Wan said and looked at Sabé. "He also served as mediator in the beginning of our courtship."

Sabé giggled. She's forgotten about that too. "Oh, he's also very helpful when shopping. The first time I needed to shop for clothes, Qui-Gon went with me and he used his Jedi powers to help me get lower prices for the clothes that I needed. It was brilliant!" she cried.

"That is so wonderful," Saché mused. "The prices for clothes on Naboo are incredible. Do you think I could borrow him the next time I go shopping?"

"I don't know, but you should definitely ask him about it when you see him," Sabé said, and she looked behind Saché.

Qui-Gon grinned, standing behind Saché. _'I can't offer my services to everyone who needs them, 'he said as Saché jumped up from her chair, staring back at the Jedi. Rabé stared too. 'Saché, Rabé, it's good to see you both. '_

"You remember us?" Rabé questioned.

 _'Of course I do, '_ he said. _'Rabé, you were the Queen's hairdresser; Saché, well, I don't really know what your role was. '_

"I wasn't allowed to come with the Queen to Coruscant because I was so young. Captain Panaka restricted me from bigger assignments," Saché said, still amazed that she was talking with a ghost. "Can you walk through walls and float like regular ghosts do?"

Qui-Gon grinned. _'Even better. I can make myself invisible. '_

Saché's eyes stayed fixed on Qui-Gon as he suddenly made himself invisible in front of her, and then visible again. "That is so cool," she added, and looked at Sabé and Obi-Wan. "On second thought, you guys can stay here on Tatooine. Rabé and I can tell your parents that we found you and that you're safe, and can't leave where you are at the moment because of your condition. They'll understand."

"Again, I'm sorry I made everyone back home worry about me," Sabé apologized, "but I am happy here."

tbc


	11. Chapter 11

Sabé sighed, watching until Saché and Rabé disappeared. She hadn't seen or talked to anyone from Naboo since she decided to leave and follow Obi-Wan to Tatooine. Sabé missed her family terribly, but she knew this was the right decision. She already knew too much about Anakin, his betrayal and the twins…if she returned to Naboo, the situation would become even more complicated, and she would have a lot of explaining to do.

"Sabé," Obi-Wan whispered and she turned to him, "are you all right?"

"I left my family, Ben, and now I'm never going to be able to return to them. I don't know if I'll ever be all right with that decision, but I know it's to protect them," she said. "They can't ever know what I know, otherwise their lives will be destroyed."

"At least now they will know that you're safe," he added, bracing his hands on her shoulders. "You did the right thing."

Sabé shrugged his hands away and looked again where Rabé and Saché had gone. "They're safe but now, I'm starting to see…"

"See what, Sabé?" he asked.

"Maybe I should have never followed you," she whispered. "I let my anger and curiosity get the better of me, and now I'm stuck here and can't ever leave."

Obi-Wan understood her regret. Sabé walked passed him back into the hut and sat alone at the kitchen table. Obi-Wan came in and sat down beside her. "It was really none of my business to follow you," she realized, "but I knew that you knew something about Padmé's death. I followed you because I wanted answers for what was happening, and there are still a lot of things I don't know about her last days."

"What are you saying, Sabé?"

"I don't know," she mused. "We made a promise to always be honest with each other, Ben. I'm going to be honest with you now; I want to return to Naboo after the baby comes. The baby can stay here with you and Qui-Gon, or she can come back with me."

Obi-Wan looked blankly at Sabé. He couldn't understand how things could change so quickly between them. Not too long ago, Sabé said to him that she was happy to spend the rest of her days with him, and now she wanted to leave him.

"I do love you, Ben. I love you very much, but I love my family too," she pleaded. "I never got to say goodbye to them, and I want to do that."

"Is that all you want to do?"

Sabé frowned and looked away. "At the moment, yes. Obi-Wan, I promise as soon as I've seen them and they're all right, I'm coming back here."

"I'll arrange transport for you."

~~

Obi-Wan left Sabé alone to collect her thoughts, and he went to his room and closed the door. He grabbed his chest as he struggled to stand and then walked over to the bed and sat down. When Sabé had first started to live with him he had tolerated her presence, but now he realized that it was quite possible that when she returned to Naboo, she might decide to stay there and never come back to him. Obi-Wan grabbed his chest again and then screamed out in pain as he collapsed onto the bed.

Sabé rushed into the room. She saw Obi-Wan lying still on the bed and went to his side, turning him over. She felt his forehead and checked his pulse. Sabé wanted to move him but thought better of it, and instead ran to the kitchen to grab a glass of water and a wet cloth.

Qui-Gon appeared and knelt down beside him. _'Obi-Wan, what is it? What happened? '_ he asked.

"Sabé," he whispered, "…said she was going to leave me."

Sabé returned with the glass and a wet cloth. Qui-Gon looked up at her sourly, and then she walked over and sat down beside Obi-Wan.

 _'Sabé? '_ Qui-Gon questioned. He didn't want to worry her any further, but it upset him that she was actually thinking about leaving him. _'Take care of him. '_

Sabé muttered something as she tried to get Obi-Wan to sit up. Obi-Wan moaned, resting again. "Sabé," he said, "You cannot leave me. I can't lose you…I want you here with me always…marry me…marriage…you don't want it…but I love you and our child…this is the right thing to do."

"Obi-Wan, I…"

"Please Sabé," he cried. "Stay with me…I want this…to be in this life, spend it with you…be with me."

Sabé looked down at her abdomen and then at Obi-Wan. She'd been hesitant at first to marry him, but she couldn't risk losing him if she refused. "Yes. Yes, I will marry you and be with you always. I promise," Sabé cried, leaned down and kissed him.

Obi-Wan smiled and looked at Qui-Gon, who had watched the whole exchange. Something about this didn't feel right to him, but this is what Obi-Wan wanted, and now Sabé would stay on Tatooine and never leave.

~~

Sabé searched through her clothes for a white dress. It could have been anything that was white, she didn't care. Obi-Wan was still in his room resting and Qui-Gon was watching him. After a couple of minutes, she found something. Sabé set the dress aside on her bed and sat down at her dresser, quickly applying make-up to her face. If Rabé had stayed, Sabé knew she could have helped her come up with a brilliant hairstyle, but that didn't matter now. Sabé picked up some hair pins and rolled up her hair into a bun and used the pins to keep it in place, and let some loose strands fall down around her face.

Obi-Wan wouldn't care about her hair, make-up and dress wasn't elaborate. What mattered is that not too long from now, they would be married and Sabé would be bound to him forever.

~~

Qui-Gon watched Obi-Wan as he rested. In the many years he'd taught Obi-Wan, the younger man had never been so deceitful and so manipulative. He was praised by many Jedi Masters for staying strict to the code and applauded for his values, but all that had changed. Before, Qui-Gon had been angry with Sabé for causing Obi-Wan's heart attack. What surprised him was that Obi-Wan used his condition to get Sabé to agree to marry him, which she wouldn't have agreed to otherwise.

Living there and being with him was enough for Sabé, but Obi-Wan wanted more. It disgusted Qui-Gon that his former Padawan would do this to her.

"Where's Sabé?" Obi-Wan asked, waking.

 _'She's getting ready for the ceremony, '_ Qui-Gon replied. _'I am so disappointed in you, Obi-Wan. I never thought you could do anything like this, but you have. '_

Obi-Wan breathed heavily as he looked at him. "What are you talking about?"

Qui-Gon stood up and used the Force to close the door. He didn't want Sabé to hear what he was going to say. _'You used your condition to trap Sabé into marrying you, '_ he stated, and turned back to Obi-Wan. _'I know that probably wasn't your intention, but you did it so Sabé wouldn't leave you. Why couldn't you have faith that she would return to you? You'd professed your love to each other on many occasions…isn't that enough? '_

"I want this…"

_'But Sabé doesn't! Deep down, being married was the last thing on her mind, and you knew that. You forced her into this and she only accepted because she was afraid of losing you! This isn't right, Obi-Wan. '_

"I don't want to hear anymore of this, Qui-Gon," he said. "No more. You're marrying us and you're not going to say anything to Sabé. I love her. I'm doing this for her and our child."

 _'No, Obi-Wan. You're doing this for you, '_ he finished. _'I'll keep quiet because I know you, Obi-Wan. I know that eventually your conscious will win and you'll tell Sabé the truth. For now, I will marry the both of you. '_

Sabé knocked the door and Qui-Gon waved his hand, opening it. Sabé walked through wearing a silky white night gown. She smiled at Obi-Wan as she walked to his side.

_'Obi-Wan, today the Force has guided to this wonderful and extraordinary woman. Obi-Wan, Sabé, the two of you were brought together under unusual circumstances, but you ended up finding each other. Sabé, you are a strong-willed, independent spirit. Your devotion to Obi-Wan has been noted on several occasions, and his to you.'_

_'With this child, the bond between you has been strengthened, and now you have both given your consent to be the other's partner for the rest of your days. The Force has blessed your union and, so have I. Do you promise to love and care for each other always? '_

"Yes," Sabé whispered.

"I will."

Qui-Gon looked at Sabé one last time, and then to Obi-Wan. He wanted to tell Sabé about her lover's betrayal, but the strong feelings of love from Sabé held him back. Now wasn't the time to say anything. _'It is my greatest honor to pronounce you man and wife. '_

Sabé smiled, knelt down beside the bed and kissed Obi-Wan. "Forever, I am bound to you," Sabé whispered to him.

"Forever."

tbc


	12. Chapter 12

_'You used your condition to trap Sabé into marrying you, ' he stated, and turned back to Obi-Wan. 'I know that probably wasn't your intention, but you did it so Sabé wouldn't leave you. Why couldn't you have faith that she would return to you? You'd professed your love to each other on many occasions…isn't that enough? '_

_"I want this…"_

_'But Sabé doesn't! Deep down, being married was the last thing on her mind, and you knew that. You forced her into this and she only accepted because she was afraid of losing you! This isn't right, Obi-Wan. '_

Obi-Wan rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache coming on. It wasn't like him to do something like this, and he knew that. He turned over, staring at Sabé as she slept. Maybe Qui-Gon was right. He had Sabé's devotion and love; that was enough for her, and it should have been enough for him, too. Why did he do it? Obi-Wan turned away from her. He had promised her no more lies, and he'd lied to her, using her compassion against her.

"Ben?" Sabé asked. "Why are you awake?"

"I have a lot on my mind," he replied and looked over at Sabé. Her abdomen was growing rapidly. The baby would arrive soon, but he couldn't lie to her anymore. "Sabé, why did you marry me?"

Sabé laughed. "What do you mean, why did I marry you? I did it because I love you."

"It wasn't because of my heart attack?"

She entwined her hands with his. "If you mean, did I feel pressured into making my decision, I did at first. Now I just feel more connected to you than before, and it isn't because of our child," she explained. "I don't regret it, either."

Obi-Wan moved closer to Sabé. He kissed her softly at first, and then deepened the kiss. When he drew away, Sabé's eyes were still closed. After a minute, she opened them and looked over at Obi-Wan. Something felt different about that kiss. It wasn't the same as the previous ones they'd shared. What was there? Regret?

"Do you have regrets?" Sabé countered.

"About us being married? No, I just wanted to check," he said and leaned over, kissing her. "I like having you to myself," he whispered.

Sabé smiled as Obi-Wan continued to kiss her, and then pulled away suddenly. Obi-Wan was about ask her what was wrong, and then she took his hand and rested it over her belly. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to be feeling, and then he felt it: a kick, followed by two more kicks.

"This is real, isn't it?" Obi-Wan asked, his hand still resting on her stomach.

"It's our future, Ben," Sabé said. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

~~

Sabé couldn't sleep. It wasn't the baby that was keeping her up; it was what Obi-Wan asked her earlier. The question shouldn't have bothered her. However, it was his tone of voice, his feelings and the fact that Sabé could sense there was something more he wanted to tell her but couldn't bring himself to say it did bug her. Sabé looked over at Obi-Wan before slipping out of bed.

The last time she did something like this, those creatures kidnapped and tortured her, and it had taken Sabé more than one week to regain her strength, but she needed to think.

Above everything, Sabé's relationship with Obi-Wan was like one of those soap operas on the HoloNet that she never watched. First he didn't want her on Tatooine, and then she ended up living with him. They fell in love and even tortured each other until they both gave in. Then there was the incident with the Sand People, the arrival of her friends Rabé and Saché, which reminded her that she had a life on Naboo and finally, Ben's heart attack.

It was too much drama for Sabé's tastes, but if none of those things had happened, she wouldn't be here now. That brought her back to her original reason for standing outside the hut.

She knew Obi-Wan was hiding something from her; she could see it in his eyes, but he wasn't willing to admit there was something wrong. Sabé turned and walked back inside the hut, sitting at the dining table. She sat there alone for awhile until Qui-Gon decided to join her.

'Shouldn't you be asleep, Sabé? 'he asked her.

Sabé looked up at Qui-Gon and sat back in her chair, studying him. It was too bad she couldn't read his thoughts, because then she would have known what was bothering Obi-Wan. "I couldn't sleep," she muttered. "Qui-Gon, how do you view my relationship with Obi-Wan?"

Qui-Gon grinned and scratched his beard. 'Do you honestly want to know the answer to that question? '

"I already know. We're both characters in a really dramatic, sad soap opera," she mused. "You wouldn't say it, but I know you were thinking it."

'Is something bothering you? '

"I know Ben's hiding something from me, but he won't tell me what it is, and it's killing him inside. We both made a promise to each other to always be honest, but now I don't feel that close to him and I wish I knew what it was…I hate this feeling."

Qui-Gon shrugged. 'He promised me not to say anything to you, but when he is ready, he will come to you about it. '

"You know what it is, don't you? You know but you refuse to tell me. I came to you first when I realized I was pregnant, and you can't even return the favor of being honest with me?" Sabé retorted. "Whatever it is, Obi-Wan must feel so guilty that he even asked you not to say anything to me, and I'm his wife."

'I made a promise, Sabé. If you want to know the truth, you'll have to talk to Obi-Wan about. I can tell you, you won't like the answer. '

Sabé huffed, slouching back in her chair. "What is so horrible that Obi-Wan has to hide it from me?"

~~

"Obi-Wan, what are you doing?" Sabé demanded as he attempted to stand up. "You should be resting."

"I've been resting and using Jedi healing techniques for three days. Now is the time to see if I am healed," he said. Sabé rushed to his side to support him as he struggled to stand. Obi-Wan stepped forward. He walked from the bed to the door. However, as he reached the door, he began to feel weak.

Sabé helped him back over to the bed. "Three days isn't enough for a full recovery, Ben," she said and kissed his forehead. "I'm impressed at your attempt, even though it wasn't that far."

Obi-Wan smiled wryly. "I'm not used to staying in bed and waiting, Sabé. I hated being in the medic ward in the Temple after missions, but I could never argue against the healers. They were just doing their job," he said.

"You need to learn to be patient, Ben," she reminded him. "Remember how impatient I was the first two weeks after the Sand People attacked me? I wanted to be out and walking, and to be with you, but I needed to heal. And so do you."

"All right," he conceded. "More bed rest and several more hours of Jedi healing techniques."

"You should still exercise your legs once in awhile," she advised, "to keep the blood flowing properly." Obi-Wan looked at her curiously; he didn't know Sabé knew so much about these things. He suspected her knowledge came from another source. "Yané studied medicine before training as a handmaiden and Captain Panaka instructed her to teach all of us."

Sabé placed her hands on Obi-Wan's legs and gently massaged his muscles. Obi-Wan moaned and Sabé smiled.

"Did she also teach you how to give massages?" he asked.

"No," she replied and smiled at him. "Do you like it?"

"Yes, very much."

After a couple minutes, Sabé stopped massaging his legs and simply sat there beside him. "I should go," she said and started to stand up from the bed, but Obi-Wan placed his hands around her wrist and she sat back down.

"Sabé, what is it?"

She shrugged and smiled back at him. "Nothing's wrong."

"No, some thing's bothering you," he insisted. "I can feel it."

Sabé sighed and looked away from him. "The other night, when you asked me about having regrets...did you want to tell me something?"

"I did," he admitted, "but then you said that you didn't have regrets about us."

"But you did," Sabé added. "What was it that you wanted to tell me that night?"

Ben sighed. He'd really hoped that Sabé would forget about his comment, but obviously she'd been thinking about it a lot lately. "I did something to you that I shouldn't have done," he said.

Sabé frowned, trying to recall what he could have possibly done to hurt her, but she couldn't think of anything.

"When I had my heart attack, I begged you to be my wife. Sabé, I wasn't dying, and yet I made you believe if you refused, I would die."

Sabé stared blankly at him in disbelief. Obi-Wan searched her eyes for what she was feeling. He could see Sabé remembering that moment. "I talked to Qui-Gon after we had that conversation and he said that you made him promise not to say anything to me. I was really concerned and worried about what it was you were hiding from me, but now I wish I hadn't even asked," she cried. "How could you do this? Obi-Wan, you knew how much I love you. I wasn't even your wife then, but I was faithful to you. That wasn't enough for you, was it? Why wasn't it enough, Obi-Wan?"

"Sabé..."

"No, tell me why it wasn't enough!" she cried. "Tell me!"

"I'm sorry," Obi-Wan added. "I was selfish and angry. You said that you wanted to return to Naboo and I was afraid you wouldn't return to me. I know now that you would have returned to me. You were only concerned for your family. I see that now."

"But the heart attack, that was real?"

"Yes, that was real," he said. "I'm sorry Sabé. I'm sorry I lied to you and used your compassion against you."

Sabé stood up from the bed. "This changes everything between us, Ben...We'd hurt each other before but this, this is different," she cried. "I'm not saying I don't love you anymore, but I need time away from you. I can't forgive you now."

"I understand."

Tbc


	13. Chapter 13

Sabé wanted to scream and shout, anything to release the pain in her heart. Until this moment, she'd respected Obi-Wan and loved him, but what he did changed things between them. He must have realized that simply being with him, carrying his child, was enough for her, but it wasn't. Maybe at the time he thought he was going to lose Sabé forever, but she couldn't drop everything and leave him like that.

If he knew all of this, why did he do it anyway? Sabé shifted in her bed and saw Qui-Gon standing in the corner of the room. He didn't look surprised that she was in pain. Sabé cleaned her face and then looked at him. "You knew, didn't you?"

 _'I knew, '_ Qui-Gon admitted and he sat down on Sabé's dresser chair. ' _To be honest, I was angry with you at first because before Obi-Wan had his heart attack, he confided in me that you were leaving and returning to Naboo. '_

"Yes, but I would have returned," Sabé spat back. "I missed Naboo, I missed my family, but this is my family here. Obi-Wan, you, this baby, is my family."

Qui-Gon shrugged. _'With the arrival of Saché and Rabé, Obi-Wan worried that you would stay on Naboo permanently, '_ he said. Sabé glared at him. _'If you had left, would you have...? '_

"Of course, I wouldn't have Qui-Gon," Sabé retorted. "How could I? I love Obi-Wan, and maybe I've always loved him, but these lies complicate things now. I know I was sincerely worried about Obi-Wan's condition, but now I'm not even sure if I shouldn't have been so worried."

 _'I know I haven't been around much lately, '_ Qui-Gon started, _'but I have been watching things between the two of you, Sabé. I can tell you that if you hadn't come into Obi-Wan's room when you did and be there for him, he could have died from that heart attack. You saved him. '_

Sabé shrugged and looked away. "But he wasn't in any immediate danger," she whispered, "and he knew that."

_'Obi-Wan needs you during this time, Sabé. You can't shut yourself off from him. '_

"I want to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I don't want to be hurt and lied to anymore," Sabé cried. "I deserve better than that."

Qui-Gon sighed. _'Give him time then. Give yourself time before the baby comes. If you want to continue being angry with him, do that, Sabé, but it'll only end up hurting both of you. '_

~~

"Oh, Beru, what are you doing here?" Sabé asked, surprised to see the woman.

Beru smiled and offered her a bundle. "I bought some of Luke's old clothes for your baby. I hope you don't mind."

Sabé took the bundle from her as the two women went to the living room. Sabé looked down and smiled at Luke, and Luke smiled back. "Thank you very much for giving me your old clothes, Luke," she said.

They walked to the kitchen, and Sabé put the bundle on the counter as Beru helped Luke into a chair. Sabé removed some cups and poured some drinks for her visitors.

"I hope you don't mind us stopping by like this," Beru said. "We told Owen that we were going to the marketplace to sell the clothes, but I thought that you would need them for your little one."

Sabé smiled as she sat down. "I don't blame Owen for not liking me," Sabé said, "but he's good to Luke?"

"Oh yes," Beru said.

Sabé sighed and leaned back in her chair. She didn't know how things would change in the coming months, especially since she and Ben were not on good terms now. "Are you all right, Sabé?" she asked, concerned for her friend.

"I'm tired, I guess," Sabé muttered. "Actually, that's a lie. I had a fight with my husband a couple of days ago."

Beru frowned. "I'm sorry, Sabé. What did you fight about? Was it the baby?"

"No, maybe it was the baby. He had a heart attack recently and I thought he was going to die, so naturally I agreed to marry him."

"What's the problem then?" she asked, confused by the situation. "Don't you love him?"

Sabé smiled and blushed. "Of course I love him, but he lied to me and used his condition to his advantage and won."

Luke looked back at his aunt. "Do you regret that you married him?" she questioned. "Because if you don't, then I don't see why you would angry with him. He clearly loves you and would do anything to keep you with him. It's kind of romantic; possessive, but romantic."

"Do you think I'm being too hard on him?"

"I think your husband is a good man and he understands that what he did to you was wrong, but honestly, is it worth to stay angry with him?" Beru asked.

"Maybe, I don't know," Sabé said and turned her attention to Luke. "What do you think, Luke? Should I forgive him?"

~~

Sabé sighed as she watched Obi-Wan meditate in his room. In the end, she still loved Obi-Wan very much and would always love him, but she was still angry with him. Sabé wished she could erase the last couple of days, her confronting him about the statement he made earlier and simply forget that he said anything, but it was too late. There was no way that she could easily forgive him, even though Beru and Qui-Gon thought that she was overreacting.

Maybe she was; maybe it was the hormones running wild, but Sabé knew it was more than that. Obi-Wan lied and used her, and that was something that she couldn't forgive so easily. Perhaps in a couple months she could forgive him and they would move on, but Sabé didn't know. The future was always in motion.

Sabé backed away from the door and went to sit in the kitchen. She curled up her legs and sat down at the table, drinking more of the tea that she had prepared for herself. She sat there alone for a moment, and then noticed Obi-Wan. He stood, leaning on the sidewall, looking at her. Sabé smiled and hurriedly rushed to him as she helped him to the table.

"How...when...when did this happen?" she asked excitedly.

Obi-Wan smiled. "This morning, actually. I stood up and walked across the room," he said. "I increased the intensity of the Jedi healing techniques."

Sabé reached over and touched his hand. Obi-Wan leaned over to kiss her, but Sabé pulled away. "I'm sorry...I...I'm not ready yet, Ben," Sabé apologized. "It's too soon. I need time."

"I understand," he said and drew back. "But I still love you, Sabé."

She shrugged. "That hasn't changed for me either, but I still need time," Sabé said. "Beru stopped by earlier. She brought over clothes for the baby. Luke was with her."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "Beru was here," he repeated. "Owen let her come here on her own?"

"She told Owen that she was going to the market place to sell Luke's old clothes and stopped by here instead," Sabé said, and grabbed the bundle on the counter. She opened it and pulled out some of the clothes. Obi-Wan looked them over, and then glanced at Sabé. "Do you approve?"

"Yes," he said and smiled. "That was very nice of Beru to give our child Luke's old clothes."

Sabé wrapped the clothes again and set it aside on the table. "I like Beru," Sabé said thoughtfully. "Luke was here too. He's grown so big, but he didn't say much. I think he's shy."

Obi-Wan laughed. "Maybe he didn't say anything because he was listening to you talk."

"The thought has crossed my mind that maybe young Luke has a crush on me," Sabé mused, "but it's only a crush. It'll pass and soon he'll forget all about me, once he meets another beautiful and charming older woman."

"Perhaps," he said and spotted the glass of tea sitting in front of Sabé. "Do you have more of that tea?"

Sabé stood up and grabbed another mug, pouring the extra tea and gave to Ben. Their fingers touched briefly and then Sabé sat down again away from him.

~~

_Four Months Later_

Sabé screamed and cried as she pushed harder and harder. Obi-Wan had called a midwife to deliver the baby, but she was weeks early, two weeks earlier than expected. Obi-Wan remembered being there with her, as she helped him put away dishes after lunch, and then she dropped one of them on the floor. He had looked over at her and was shocked to see Sabé lying on the floor. He asked Qui-Gon to stay with her while he went out to get Rinna, the mid wife they both talked to months earlier.

"Easy my dear," Rinna soothed. "Breathe."

Sabé stopped pushing, breathing in and out before bearing down again.

~~

Obi-Wan sat anxiously outside in the kitchen. Nine months of waiting, and now he was about to be a father. He and Sabé would have a son or daughter. Obi-Wan had wanted a son, but now he realized it didn't matter what the gender of the baby was. Son or daughter, he would love the child unconditionally, but loving Sabé was a different story.

They did talk sometimes about the baby, but when Obi-Wan would try to tell her his feelings, she'd mutter an excuse and leave him alone. At night, Obi-Wan wished Sabé was beside him, but it wasn't that way. Their relationship was officially over and Ben doubted that even the arrival of their child would bring Sabé back to him.

"Ben," Rinna said, interrupting his reverie. "There's someone who wants to meet you."

~~

Sabé smiled, staring at her baby daughter. Nine months of carrying this life, and now she finally got to meet her. Sabé kissed her little head as Obi-Wan entered the room. He grabbed the chair from her dresser and brought it beside her bed and sat down.

"It's a girl, Ben. We have a daughter," Sabé whispered to him and smiled.

Ben smiled too. It was the first smile she'd given him in months and he hoped not the last one. "Have you named her yet?" he asked.

"No. I have my preferences, but I thought naming her could be something we'd do together."

"What were you going to name her?"

Sabé looked down at her daughter and kissed her forehead again. "Hope. Her name would be Hope. What do you think? I mean, she's your daughter too...do you like it?"

Obi-Wan touched his daughter's cheek. "Her name is Hope," he said. He wanted to lean over and kiss Sabé, but he wasn't sure if her feelings towards him had changed. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired, actually," Sabé admitted, and smiled at him again. "Ben...I..." she started. Obi-Wan looked at her longingly. "I wanted to thank you for this. And being there for me these last couple of months, even though I'd been very distant. I appreciate it."

Obi-Wan smiled and kissed her palm. He didn't see or feel her reaction, but Sabé felt a sensation, a warm feeling develop inside of her. But now wasn't the time for that. "You're welcome, love," Ben replied and stood up, leaving her to rest.

tbc


	14. Chapter 14

The next couple of days, Obi-Wan focused his attention on his new daughter. Sabé enjoyed watching him interact with her, but in a small hut, there was only so little room for Hope to explore. Obi-Wan wanted to introduce her to Qui-Gon, but Sabé advised him that probably wasn't a good idea since Hope was just starting to become familiar with her surroundings and feeling comfortable. She didn't want her daughter to panic and feel afraid because there was a ghost also living among them.

"Sabé, I'm going out to get some things," Ben called to her. "I won't be long."

He grabbed his communicator off the kitchen table and checked how many credits he had. Once he was satisfied with how much money he had, he walked back to Sabé's room. She was lying down on the bed with Hope between her legs as the baby looked up at him and smiled. Obi-Wan smiled back, kneeling down beside the bed. He leaned over and kissed Hope's cheek and turned, lightly kissing Sabé on her forehead as she slept. Obi-Wan looked at Hope again and quietly left the room.

Sabé awoke several hours later. Hope was still between her legs, but wanted out of the bed. Sabé sat up and scooped Hope into her arms as she stood up and left her room. She passed Obi-Wan's room and noted he wasn't there, and then she remembered that he needed to go out and get supplies and food. Sabé brought Hope to the main room and set her down on the floor, giving the infant more room to move around.

"Daddy will be back soon, darling," she said to her. "Would you like to play a game, sweetie?"

Hope looked her mother over and smiled, approving of the suggestion. Sabé picked up Hope and lay back on the floor, hoisting her up and down. Hope laughed and giggled. After awhile, Sabé got tired and put Hope down again. It would be awhile until Sabé's full strength would return. But the hours of labor were worth it. Hope was so beautiful, and she could herself in the small girl, and a little bit of Obi-Wan, too.

Since Hope was born, Sabé had been missing Obi-Wan so much more than the months she avoided him. Maybe it was because of Hope, but Sabé knew she couldn't hold back her feelings any more. She was tired of hiding and pushing Ben away when she still loved him.

It didn't even matter to her now the reason they were apart. Sabé needed him and she couldn't deny how being without him affected her. He needed to know how she felt, but if she did tell him, Sabé didn't even know if he still loved her. Sabé had shut him out of her life; he'd probably given up on trying to win her back. But she didn't feel that he'd fallen out of love with her, at least she didn't think so.

 _Tonight,_ Sabé reasoned, _tonight she would tell him everything._

~~

Obi-Wan returned awhile later with supplies and food. He greeted Hope, kissing her cheek, and went to look for Sabé. It had been several months since their arrival on Tatooine, but Ben knew that it wouldn't be long until the Emperor would send stormtroopers to be stationed in Mos Eisley's spaceport. Which meant it wouldn't be long until they were ordered to look for him.

"Sabé? Where are you? I need to talk to you," he called to her.

He finally found her in her room, resting again. She looked at him curiously and stood up, following him to the living room. Obi-Wan gestured that she sit down, but Sabé stood there, waiting for him to explain what was going on.

"I saw stormtroopers at the market today, and chances are that more are coming," he said. Sabé froze and looked at Hope. She had an idea of what he was going to say next. "You should leave, Sabé. Take Hope and go to Naboo. You'll be safe there with your family."

"Leave?" she said incredulously. "I thought you were going to say that you were going to leave."

Obi-Wan shrugged and sighed. "I can't leave, Sabé. I have to stay here and watch Luke. Someone needs to stay here and watch him...and yes...eventually train him in the ways of the Jedi. I'm the only one that can do that."

"What if I don't want to leave you?" Sabé retorted and she glared at him. "I meant what I said Ben. My life is here with you, and that means I'm staying here with you. Hope too."

"You can't, love," he said, forcing her this time to sit down. Obi-Wan placed a hand over hers and squeezed it. "I refuse to put your life and Hope's in danger. As long as I know that you're both safe, I can do my job. I can't worry about the two of you when my purpose here is to watch over Luke."

Sabé pulled her hand away from him and looked at him sourly. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. She needed more time, more time to be with him and tell him how she still felt. "It's too soon, Ben. I can't leave you like this, not when I still...love you. I love you, Obi-Wan. I still love you."

Ben sighed. "This is bad timing..."

"I know it is, but then again, a lot of our relationship is due to bad timing. But it's the truth, Ben," Sabé said. She looked at Hope, who was sitting on the floor, watching the interaction between her parents. "When should we leave?"

Obi-Wan kissed her and then, kissed her hands. "Tomorrow," he said and Sabé smiled. "I never stopped loving you either, Sabé, and I don't want to waste another moment without you."

Tbc


	15. Chapter 15

Sabé smiled as she kissed Obi-Wan. She'd missed him so much. He'd never left her, and she him, but she'd avoided feeling this way for a long time. Now everything was perfect, well, almost perfect. 

Tomorrow, she would be separated from him. She'd leave with Hope and return to Naboo to be with her family. It didn't seem fair that after all this time of avoiding each other, they were forced to separate and live different lives away from each other.

"I don't want to leave you," Sabé cried as she hugged him. "I love you so much, Ben. I want to stay here with you."

Obi-Wan frowned, feeling the same way, but he knew if Sabé did stay with him, eventually she and Hope would possibly be captured, or worse, be killed. He didn't want that to happen.

"I don't want you leave either, Sabé, but we have no other choice," he reminded her. Obi-Wan kissed her forehead and smiled. "But I am happy that you told me how you felt. It would have been horrible if we were parted, and we never knew..." he drifted off and held Sabé closer to him.

"Just hold me, Ben," Sabé whispered. "Hold me tonight..."

Before she could finish her sentence, the door burst open and several stormtroopers rushed into the room and circled around the bed. Sabé looked worriedly at Obi-Wan and tried to kiss him goodbye, but they pulled her from the bed. A pair of stormtroopers on the other side of the bed, dragged Obi-Wan away.

"Hope!" Sabé cried. "Hope!!"

Hope wailed in another stormtrooper's arms and tried to reach for Sabé, but the stormtrooper carrying her left the room. Sabé looked again to Obi-Wan, but he was already gone, possibly dead, and Sabé knew it wouldn't be long until she joined him there...

~~

Sabé gasped, waking from the nightmare. Obi-Wan was asleep beside her, oblivious. She stood up quietly from the bed and left the room, and went to Hope's room. Hope was sleeping quietly as she reached down and picked her up, carrying her back to Obi-Wan's room. Sabé settled back on the bed, holding Hope in her arms as Obi-Wan slept beside her.

~~

Sabé awoke early the next morning, sitting up in bed, still shaken by her nightmare. If she stayed, Sabé knew death would be her fate, and also Hope's. She looked over at Obi-Wan, who was still asleep. He had been her life for so long, Sabé couldn't imagine leaving him. Several months ago, before Hope, she did think about it, but that was because she was reminded of her family back home on Naboo. She missed them, but being separated from Obi-Wan was much worse. She still didn't want to leave him and didn't think that she would ever be all right with it, but it was about her safety and Hope's.

Obi-Wan turned over and looked at Sabé. He looked solemnly at her, feeling her distress the whole time he was awake. Sabé didn't say anything and lay back, holding onto him. Hope crawled up and slept between her parents.

~~

"You and Mommy are going away for awhile," Obi-Wan started, as Hope looked down. "I know it's unexpected and sad, but I promise, some day, I will find the both of you and we'll be together again."

Hope looked up at Obi-Wan and hugged him. Sabé looked away herself. She always hated good-byes. Obi-Wan kissed Hope's cheek and then turned and faced his wife. Sabé sobbed as Obi-Wan hugged her.

"I don't want to let you go," Sabé whispered to him, and removed a necklace from her dress pocket. "Keep this for me, Ben." She placed it in Obi-Wan's hand, and looked at him again. "I love you, Obi-Wan Kenobi."

Obi-Wan hugged Sabé again as he kissed her. This shouldn't have been the way it was to end, but it had to be. "Sabé, I will always love you," he said, "and one day, we will be together again...all three of us."

"You never even got the chance to get to know your daughter," she sobbed.

Obi-Wan frowned and looked to Hope. The small girl crawled over to him, and Obi-Wan bent down, taking the girl into his arms. "Take care of your Mommy, princess," he whispered to her. "Love her for me." Obi-Wan kissed Hope's cheek and looked at Sabé one last time.

"One day, Sabé, one day, we'll be together again," he repeated.

tbc


	16. Chapter 16

Obi-Wan cried as he watched Sabé leave with Hope. He had never asked her about her nightmare. He didn't need to because he already knew. She dreamed that stormtroopers came and arrested them both. It was only a dream, but who was to say that would never happen if she and Hope stayed? Obi-Wan loved Sabé too much to let her make that decision to stay with him, and he knew that this would be the one time that she'd opt to stay, regardless of how dangerous the situation was. Obi-Wan couldn't let her do that. He looked up once more as Sabé turned and looked back at him.

She looked behind one last time, at the small hut she called 'home" and saw Ben. She wanted to run back to him and promise to be with him forever, but she couldn't do it. She looked at Hope in her arms, kissed her forehead, and continued walking away. Ben stayed outside awhile longer, and then went back inside the hut.

 _'You did the right thing, Obi-Wan. If Sabé had stayed, she and Hope would have been killed,'_ Qui-Gon said. The former Jedi Master appeared, leaning against the dining table. He'd been notably absent the last couple of days, but that was because Sabé didn't want Hope to know that a ghost was living with them. Right now, Obi-Wan didn't want him to be there either.

"Have I doomed them?" he asked. "How do I know that sending them away, I haven't sealed their fate? How do I know that the Emperor won't find them and kill them? How do I know that they'll reach Naboo safely?"

_'Is that how you feel? '_

"Yes Qui-Gon, it's what I feel!" he shouted back. "And I hate knowing that I may have sent them to their deaths. That was never my intention."

_'Sabé knows that...'_

"But it still doesn't make it right," he retorted. "I loved her and I love my daughter. I didn't want to say goodbye to them. But I had to, to protect them. Now I'm alone and there's nothing I can do about it."

Qui-Gon sighed and leaned off the table. _'I'll miss Sabé too. In a way, she was like a daughter to Hope and me…even though I never got to know her, I watched her everyday.'_

Obi-Wan glared at him and went to the kitchen. "Sabé and I could have been happy here. We could have raised Hope together, watch her mature and grow old together, but no, the Emperor had to order stormtroopers to settle on Tatooine," he mused angrily and looked pointedly at Qui-Gon. "Do you realize that Hope will probably never remember me, her father? I never got to know her, and now I'll never see her or Sabé ever again."

Qui-Gon crossed his arms and looked at Obi-Wan. _'Do you want me to feel sorry for you, Obi-Wan? '_

"No, of course not. I know that you'd never allow yourself to feel sorry for me," he said bitterly. "After all, you did pass me over so that Anakin could be trained. And you did it right in front of the Jedi Council, which was extremely humiliating, but I never said anything to you because I know that once you have your mind set, there's no use telling you other wise."

_'All right then, Obi-Wan. Let's have it. Tell me I was a horrible Master and that the reason we're all here is because I made the decision to stick up for Anakin, because I was the only one that believed his future was with the Jedi.'_

Obi-Wan grunted and laughed. "There were times that I wanted to tell you that your compassion clouded your vision of the 'now,' but I never did because I admired you. You were my teacher and my father, Qui-Gon, and my whole life, I'd never gotten over that day in the Council Chambers," Obi-Wan cried. "I was thrilled in the beginning to have you here with me, but now I just want you leave. I've lost everyone that I love; I might as well accept my fate as a 'crazy old hermit'."

Qui-Gon sighed and uncrossed his arms. _'If that's want you want, Obi-Wan, that's how it will be. '_ He said and vanished.

Obi-Wan looked to where Qui-Gon was standing and fell to the floor, crying.

Tbc


	17. Epilogue

Luke wandered the hut. He’d conversed with Obi-Wan many times and never once, did he mention there being a second room where he lived. As far as Luke knew, Obi-Wan lived alone but now he saw, he was mistaken. Someone else had also lived there. Luke glanced back down the hallway and slipped into the second room.

It was a small room, a bed in the corner and a dresser against the wall. Luke walked over to the bed, there wasn’t anything particularly special about it but he knew there was significance about the room. Someone else lived there with Obi-Wan but if that was true, how come he never mentioned it when they talked?

“Luke,” Ben called. Obi-Wan looked through the rooms before spotting young Luke in her room. “What are you doing in here?”

Luke turned and backed away from the bed. “I’m sorry Ben…I was just curious…Why is there a second room here? I thought you lived here alone.”

Obi-Wan sighed and left the room and Luke followed him into the living room. Ben sat down on a rocking chair as Luke sat down on a trunk. He didn’t want to push the older man to tell him why there was another room in the hut but he knew the room was important. “I never lived here alone, Luke,” he said finally, “I had roommates, two of them. My Master lived here with me for awhile before leaving me and my wife, stayed in that room that you were curious about.”

“You were married?”

“I was once, a long time ago. After she left, I only went in that room once to clean it up. I left the door open because at the time, I could feel her presence there. She left Tatooine when you were only a small boy,” Obi-Wan explained, “I never spoke to you about her because the time we spent together was precious and I loved her so much, I did everything for her, I promised her everything and in the end, we weren’t enough for each other. She had to leave because it had become dangerous for her and our daughter to live here with me on Tatooine.”

Luke’s eyes widened. “Daughter? But I thought you said that you only have two roommates…”

“Hope left with Sabé…she was only days old, too young to remember her old man.”

“What about your wife? Did you ever try and look for her after she left?”

Obi-Wan sighed. “I told her to return to Naboo to be with her family, and I promised her that one day we would be together again. That day never came; I was never reunited with her and Hope. I'd lost my wife, my daughter and my Master, Luke. Years passed and I never heard from her, so I assumed that she'd died and Hope was being cared for her by her grandparents. I mourned Sabé and Hope for months and then one day I realized that they were together wherever they were. That gave me comfort, knowing they were waiting for me to be with them.”

“I think my aunt Beru met Sabé one time in the marketplace. She brought her home and Sabé stayed for lunch. She was very beautiful,”

“Yes, she was very beautiful,” Obi-Wan mused, “Sabé was an angel, stubborn at times but then again, I could be very stubborn too.”

Luke looked down at the trunk he was sitting and stood up. “What is this?” he asked.

Ben smiled. “Some old things I’ve kept over the years for sentimental value,” he said and then stood up, as if remembering something. Obi-Wan walked over to the trunk and unlocked it. He reached down to the bottom and pulled out a metal cylinder.

The End


End file.
